Does anyone have a clue when the April 2007 Housing Benefit benefit rates are due to be announced? They are usually on or a day after the pre budget report. Whats the hold up? Or have I missed them?

Don't know if this is any help - James Purnell, Minister for Pensions Reform, said to Parliament on Thursday:

'With permission, Mr. Speaker, I wish to make a statement on benefits uprating in the context of our reforms of pensions and our commitment to tackle poverty and build an active welfare state. I shall place full details of the uprating in the Vote Office and arrange for the figures to be published in the Official Report. I can confirm that most national insurance benefits will rise by the retail prices index, which is 3.6 per cent., and that most income-related benefits will be uprated by Rossi, which is 3 per cent.'

Suggests that the rates should be available somewhere, but any suggestions about where they are?

Shawn?

Apparently there is a HB Circular in preparation now at DWP, but they say the info won't appear on their website until that circular is published.

published yesterday in hansard, and in rightsnet news....

Benefit uprating 2007 - 2008: New rates now available

The new HB benefit rates circular is now available via today's rightsnet news or directly here -

http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/pdfs/HB_CTB_A19_2006.doc

Have you noticed that the b***stds have put up the fuel deductions by 29% but not increased the IS/JSA/PC fuel amounts by anything like that. No wonder they sneaked it out!

They say it is in line with fuel RPI, which it probably is, but that is a very disproportionate impact on people right at the bottom of the income pile. LA's need to as much as possible check real costs in tenancies rather than just banging in these amounts.