FOI request (FOI218842)

DHP spending and applications 2016-2017

Requested Fri 07 July 2017
Responded Fri 07 July 2017

I am seeking information about  Discretionary Housing Payments awards and DHP spending at your council in the most recent financial year (April 1 2016 to March 31 2017).

Could you send me answers to these questions:

1. What was the council's total DHP budget (spent and unspent) for the 2016-2017 financial year?

2. What percentage of the council's total DHP funding for 2016-2017 was paid out in awards?

3. Did your council exceed its government Discretionary Housing Payment allocation in the 2016-2017 financial year?

4. If Yes, did your council top up its government allocation?

5. Did your council have any unspent DHP budget at the end of the 2016-2017 year? If Yes, how much?

6. How many applications for Discretionary Housing Payments were made to your council by eligible applicants in the 2016-2017 financial year?

(By “eligible applicants,” I mean DHP applicants who were in receipt of housing benefit or Universal Credit housing costs at the time of their applications and who applied for a Discretionary Housing Payment for help with housing payment problems that DHPs can be used to cover (for example, the bedroom tax, rent shortfall due to LHA caps, rent in advance and tenancy deposit assistance, etc).

7. How many of those applications were rejected/unsuccessful?

8. What were the three main reasons that eligible DHP applicants had their DHP applications turned down in the 2016-2017 financial year?

9. Does your council apply conditions to DHP awards (for example, must people agree to participate in debt advice/debt management sessions or training or other help in order to secure a DHP?)

10. If the answer to Q9 is Yes, what conditions apply?

11. Does your council restrict the number of DHP awards an applicant can receive?

Response

Q1 - £277,703

Q2 - 99.95%

Q3 - No

Q4 - N/A

Q5 - Yes, £146

Q6 - 907

Q7 - 36

Q8

- customer can afford to pay shortfall
- customer not looking to downsize and wants to remain in a property they cannot afford
- customer living in property that is very expensive – DHP fund not able to sustain shortfall

Q9 - Yes

Q10 - Benefit CAP customers are required to engage with the Council’s Benefit Cap Co-Ordinator re debt advice, budgeting, work prospects

Q11 - No