A report examined the position within the local housing allowance pathfinders after two years of operation. It focused on those involved in delivering the LHA, examined how it had affected the work of their organizations, and evaluated its operational impact. Overall, the net long-term administrative effect was probably positive, but not substantial.
Source: Local Housing Allowance Final Evaluation: Implementation and delivery in the nine Pathfinder areas, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7962 8176)
Links: Report | Survey evidence | Qualitative evidence
Date: 2006-Dec
Campaigners called for the abolition of the 'single room rent restriction' rule (limiting housing benefit for under-25s to the average local rent for shared accommodation). They said that it caused hardship and homelessness among young and vulnerable adults.
Source: Single Room Rent: The Case for Abolition, Child Poverty Action Group (020 7837 7979) and others
Links: Pamphlet | CPAG press release
Date: 2006-Oct
A report said that over 2 million households were estimated to be struggling to pay council tax, and consideration needed to be given to the negative impact of the tax on the government s drive to make work pay . People on low incomes were particularly badly hit, as a larger percentage of their earnings was spent on payments.
Source: Michael Orton, Struggling to Pay Council Tax: A new perspective on the debate about local taxation, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: Report | JRF Findings | JRF press release | DCLG statement | LGIU press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Sep
An article examined the British housing allowance scheme and its planned replacement, in comparative perspective. Although the new scheme would tackle some of the design faults of the existing one, other difficulties would be left untouched and important problems with the administration of housing benefit would therefore remain.
Source: Peter Kemp, 'Housing benefit: Great Britain in comparative perspective', Public Finance and Management, Volume 6 Issue 1
Links: Table of contents
Date: 2006-Apr
A report examined the costs to local authorities of administering housing and council tax benefit, and identified the main cost drivers.
Source: Michelle Boath, Ian Dunbar and Helen Wilkinson, Costs of Administering Housing and Council Tax Benefits, Research Report 332, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Date: 2006-Apr
A report examined the position within the pathfinders fifteen months after the introduction of the local housing allowance. It focused on those involved in delivering the allowance, and how it had affected the work of their organizations.
Source: Bruce Walker, 15 Months On: An interim evaluation of running the LHA in the nine pathfinder areas, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Feb
An article examined the developing debate about reform of local taxation. It said that although the existing focus was largely on improving take-up of council tax benefit, there was an opportunity for new thinking about ways of assisting people on low incomes to pay local tax.
Source: Michael Orton, 'How to help people pay local tax: abolish council tax benefit?', Benefits, Volume 14 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Feb
A survey found that the new local housing allowance had caused more than one-quarter of claimants to fall behind on their rent payments. Of those who would rather have their money paid to their landlord, 95 per cent were struggling to manage their finances. Almost one-half of the claimants who had experienced both forms of payment believed that direct payment to landlords helped them manage their rent and household budgets better.
Source: Press release 21 October 2009, Shelter (020 7505 4699)
Links: Shelter press release | Briefing
Date: 2006-Jan
