17 May 2023
Your request
- Can you provide data on the number of residents in the private rented sector in your borough who are in receipt of housing benefit or the housing element of universal credit?
2. Of these residents, can you provide data on the number of residents whose rent exceeds the local housing allowance levels?
3. Can you provide data of the number of residents in the private rented sector whose housing benefit or housing element of UC is capped because of the benefit cap?
Our response
- We have 10,038 live private rented sector claims who are in receipt of HB. We are unable to provide information on the housing element of universal credit; this information should be obtained from DWP.
- We have 550 claims whose rent exceeds the LHA level.
- We have 32 private rented sector claims where HB is capped because of the Benefit Cap. Regarding information on the housing element of universal credit, under FOI Section 1(1) any person making a request for information to a public authority is entitled (a) to be informed in writing by the public authority whether it holds information of the description specified in the request (b) if that is the case, to have that information communicated to them. I am advised by my colleagues that Lambeth Council does not hold any such information. This is because the information is held by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Consequently, the answer to Section 1(1)(a) is no and thus our further duty under 1(1)(b) does not arise on this occasion. You may wish to lodge an FOI with DWP to request the information and they will advise if it can be provided.