Housing Benefit (Amendment) Regulations 2011
Currently, single people aged under 25 have their entitlement to housing benefit capped at the local housing allowance single room rate [Para 5 of Sch 1, Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) Order 1997]. In October 2010, the government announced that this would be extended to persons aged under 35. These regulations bring in the change from under 25 to under 35, subject to limited exemptions relating to certain homeless persons in hostel accommodation, and ex-offenders who pose a risk to the public.
The change takes effect on 1 January 2012. The same transitional provisions apply that were brought in in respect of the earlier local housing allowance cuts.
