November 2010 Elizabeth Alexander West London Overcrowding Coordinator

 Predominantly LHA changes ◦ less money to pay the rent with ◦ average market rents currently exceed the LHA caps in 3 of the 7 Broad Market Rental Areas in West London focussed around inner London ◦ Bottom 30% of properties are accessible  Options for households ◦ Move home to a new rented property ◦ Top up the rent somehow ◦ Change the household  Numbers in West London ◦ 51,200 claimants renting privately in West London in total in 2009

 Uprating of non-dependent deductions to all housing benefit recipients ◦ previously between £ £47.75 / week ◦ uprated to range between £ £64.94 /week ◦ 16% of total households claiming benefit  Options for households ◦ Top up the rent somehow ◦ Change the household  Numbers in West London ◦ estimated14,450 households across social renters ◦ estimated 8,192 households privately renting

 Housing Benefit payment to reflect the property size required ◦ Currently HB paid according to the property occupied ◦ 1 bed over requirement: average £13.67/week ◦ 2 beds over requirement: average £25.82/week  Options for households ◦ Top up the rent somehow ◦ Change the household ◦ Transfer  Numbers in West London ◦ Estimate based on a share of London total ◦ 11,160

 10% reduction in housing benefit for claimants in receipt of JSA for more than 12 months ◦ Social renters: £6-£14 /week ◦ Private renters: £8-£40 /week  Options for households ◦ Top up the rent somehow ◦ Change the household  Number of households ◦ 36% of social tenants are unemployed or econimcally inactive ◦ ? of private renters

 £500/week cap to benefit received ◦ Greater effect on private renters than social ◦ Will effect large families in social rented  Universal Credit ◦ Simplify means tested benefits ◦ Reduced benefit fraud and error  Social tenure reform ◦ Rent levels ◦ Flexible tenancies?