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HCLG Committee presses Angela Rayner, Secretary of State, on the impact of housing benefits rates freeze, building safety, and English Devolution

23 January 2025

Florence Eshalomi, Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee has written to Rt Hon Angela Rayner, Secretary of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), to raise concerns about the impact of the freezing of Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates.

The Committee’s correspondence raises a series of questions on issues including the timetable for building remediation in the wake of the Grenfell tragedy, concerns about housing and disabled accessibility, and the Government’s plans for devolving more powers to local government in England.

Chair comment

Florence Eshalomi MP, Chair of the HCLG Committee, said: "With over 1 million people on social housing waiting lists, private rents rising by nearly 10% in just one year and 160,000 children waking up in temporary accommodation; households are facing an increasingly desperate situation just to keep a roof over their head.

"When rents have risen so significantly, the Government should look at the impact of freezing Local Housing Allowance rates on families living in private rented homes, who could face a harder time paying the rent and avoiding eviction.

"Over seven years after the horrific Grenfell disaster, it is unacceptable that so many people still face years of sleepless nights while work to make their homes safe moves at a snail’s pace. It was welcome to hear the Secretary of State outline her ambition to deliver much needed acceleration to remediation programmes.

"We have asked the Government to outline what steps they are taking to address these delays and set out a timetable for any legislation that may be needed to help accelerate these works."

The Committee’s correspondence follows up on issues raised in the HCLG Committee’s evidence session on 7 January with the Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP, Secretary of State, MHCLG, and Sarah Healey CB CVO, Permanent Secretary, MHCLG.

Further information

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