Autumn Statement; main highlights for Housing Benefit

Autumn Statement: main highlights for Housing Benefit

Increase in the basic DHP expenditure to £40 million from 2014…to encourage Councils to make longer term awards
Introduce a Welfare Spending Cap to be set annually; to be reviewed at the start of each Parliament
Confirmation the Single Fraud Investigations Service will commence
Use more private debt collection agencies to collect overpayments
Increase pensionable age faster than previously announced

NB: the Secretary of State for Social Security also announced that Universal Credit would be postponed in full implementation for up to three years