Here is the full statement from DCLG sent to hbinfo for our conference event:

1. We uprate the figures for pensioner allowances, premiums and deductions on the basis of pensioner HB uprating as set out in the Autumn Statement every year.

2. We make various amendments to the Prescribed Requirements Regulations in order to mirror, as far as possible, changes made by the Department for Work and Pensions to the Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/214) (‘the 2006 Regulations’).

3. These amendments align the allowances, premiums and deductions in the Prescribed Requirements Regulations with the Department for Work and Pension’s increased amounts following Autumn Statements, in order to maintain consistency with the situation that would have applied under council tax benefit had council tax benefit not been abolished.

4. In contrast the default scheme was only ever to be applied for one year, after which it has become the local working-age scheme for any authority that adopted it. We have always been very clear that we would not be updating the default scheme – any changes to local working-age schemes are a matter for local authorities.

5. The Department’s position has been clearly set out on several occasions (for example, see the attached http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/3312/memorandum/contents