KEY MEASURES

• Enable introduction of a flat rate of housing support paid to tenants rather than landlords - the Local Housing Allowance - building on the work of the pilot local authorities already testing out this approach. 
• Provide powers for local authorities to investigate and prosecute fraud against DWP administered benefits alongside benefits they administer. 
• Enhance joined up working and remove certain barriers to claiming benefits.
• The reforms will make it easier for people to move into work, help speed up local authority administration of Housing Benefit, promote greater choice and responsibility for tenants, promote financial inclusion and help the fight against benefit fraud. 

TERRITORIAL EXTENT

The Bill extends to England, Scotland and Wales but not Northern Ireland. There are minor exceptions where the Scottish systems are different (e.g. in relation to prosecution for fraud) and so those provisions do not apply to Scotland.

COMMENTS

If you have any comments on the proposals you can email them to:

LHAadviceline@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

These proposals continue the housing benefit reform programme as set out in 'The Housing Green Paper - Quality and Choice: A Decent home for All' April 2000 and in 'Building Choice and Responsibility: A Radical Agenda for Housing Benefit' October 2002.