To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many new claims for discretionary housing payments were approved in (a) the London Borough of Islington and (b) Islington South and Finsbury constituency in each of the last five years.

No information is held on how many new claims for Discretionary Housing Payment were approved in the London Borough of Islington or the Islington South and Finsbury constituency in each of the last five years. In financial year 2013/14, local authorities were asked to report on the total number of Discretionary Housing Payments awards made but it is unknown how many of these were new claims. The Government’s analysis of Discretionary Housing Payment returns for 2013/14 is available at –

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/use-of-discretionary-housing-payments-2013-to-2014