The Rent Officers (Housing Benefit and Universal Credit Functions) (Amendment) Order 2020

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) Order 1997 (S.I. 1997/1984), the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) (Scotland) Order 1997 (S.I. 1997/1995), and the Rent Officers (Universal Credit Functions) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/382) (“the Orders)” to make changes to the manner in which a local housing allowance is determined.

Articles 2, 3, and 4 amend the Orders to provide that, for any category of dwelling (or accommodation, in relation to Universal Credit), the local housing allowance is the lowest of: the rent at the 30th percentile for the broad rental market area in question, determined in accordance with the Orders; the local housing allowance as last determined, increased by 1.7%; and the maximum housing allowance for the category of dwelling in question.

The increase of 1.7% in the local housing allowance as last determined is representative of the increase in the Consumer Price Index over 12 months as determined by the Office for National Statistics in September 2019(1).

These articles also provide for revised amounts of the maximum housing allowance for specified categories of dwellings (or accommodation, in relation to Universal Credit), and make consequential changes.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.

(1)

See https//www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpricesindices/bulletins/consumerpriceinflation/september2019. Hard copies are available from the Library at the Department for Work and Pensions, Caxton House, Tothill St, London SW1H 9NA.