FOI request (FOIR-239217574)

Discretionary Housing Payments

Requested Mon 17 August 2020
Responded Mon 21 September 2020

For all of the following, we would like to request data for the year 2019/20. Please complete all of the fields possible.

1. All applicants

DHP applications and awards

a. The total discretionary housing payment (DHP) budget available to your local authority for the 2019/20 year [please include, and specify, any additional top up funds granted].

b. The amount spent or committed on DHPs at the end of the year 2019/20

c. The number of applications for DHP received by your local authority in the year 2019/20

d. The number of applications refused.

Length of time of award

a. The average length of time a DHP was given for in 2019/20

b. The number of DHPs given for the different time periods listed

- Less than 4 weeks (including one-off payments)

- 4 weeks to 12 weeks

- Between 12 weeks and 26 weeks

- Between 26 weeks and 52 weeks

- More than 52 weeks

Repeat applicants (if recorded)

a. The number of applications received where the applicant had previously received a DHP from your authority

b. The number of applications refused where the applicant had previously received a DHP from your authority

2. Applicants affected by low local housing allowance levels

The Local Authority monitoring returns on DHP asks local authorities to categorise DHP spend according to which welfare reforms the DHP was awarded. For the following questions, we are interested in DHP applications and awards made by people affected by Local Housing Allowance (LHA) reforms

DHP applications and awards

a. The number of applications received where the reason the applicant was in need of support was that they were impacted by low LHA levels

b. The number of these applications refused

c. The average length of time a DHP award was given for in 2019/20, for households affected by low LHA levels

d. The number of awards made for households affected by low LHA levels for the following reasons

- To help with on-going rental costs for disabled person in adapted accommodation

- To help with on-going rental costs for a foster carer

- To help with on-going rental costs for any other reason

e. The average length of time these DHPs were given for

f. The number of these DHPs given for the different time periods listed

- Less than 4 weeks (including one-off payments)

- 4 weeks to 12 weeks

- Between 12 weeks and 26 weeks

- Between 26 weeks and 52 weeks

- More than 52 weeks

3. Applicants affected by the household benefit cap

DHP applications and awards

a. The number of applications received where the reason the applicant was in need of support was that they were impacted by the household benefit cap

b. The number of these applications refused

c. The average length of time a DHP award was given for in 2019/20, for households affected by the benefit cap

d. The number of awards made for households affected by the benefit cap for the following reasons

- To help with on-going rental costs for disabled person in adapted accommodation

- To help with on-going rental costs for a foster carer

- To help with on-going rental costs for any other reason

e. The average length of time these DHPs were given for

f. The number of these DHPs given for the different time periods listed

- Less than 4 weeks (including one-off payments)

- 4 weeks to 12 weeks

- Between 12 weeks and 26 weeks

- Between 26 weeks and 52 weeks

- More than 52 weeks

4. Discretionary Housing Payments allocation policy

Your most recent Discretionary Housing Payments policy document, setting out the procedures in place for determining DHP awards

Response

Please see attached documents.

Attachments

• FOIR-239217574_FOIR-239217574_1-FOI_-_239217574_-_DHP's.docx
• FOIR-239217574_FOIR-239217574_2-Discretionary_Housing_Payment_Policy_-_Feb_2013.docx