FOI request (FOI223153)

Discretionary housing payments

Requested Thu 07 September 2017
Responded  Thu 07 September 2017

I am looking to understand more about the use of discretionary housing payments (DHPs) in the year 2016/17. In particular I am interested in information on the number of applications for Discretionary housing Payments (DHPs) received by your local authority, the number of applications for DHPs refused and the lengths of time that DHP awards are made for. I am interested in information for all applicants, and for applicants affected by the benefit cap. The full request is set out below.

I would be very grateful if you could please provide the following information. I request this information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

For all of the following, we would like to request data for the year 2016/17 (The twelve months between the beginning of April 2016 and the end of March 2017). Please complete all of the fields that you can.

A All applicants

All DHP applications and awards

1.     The total discretionary housing payment (DHP) budget available to your local authority for the 2016/17 financial year [please include, and specify, any additional funds granted].

2.     The amount spent or committed on DHPs at the end of the year 2016/17.

3.     The number of applications for DHP received by your local authority in the year 2016/17.

4.     The number of applications refused.

Length of time of award

5.     The average length of time a DHP award was given for in 2016/17

Repeat applicants (if recorded)

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

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

B Applicants affected by the benefit cap

DHP applications and awards

8.     The number of applications received from applicants who had their benefits reduced by the household benefit cap

9.     The number of applications refused to applicants who had their benefits reduced by the household benefit cap.

10. The number of applications refused to applicants who had their benefits reduced by the household benefit cap and had previously received a DHP award by your local authority (if recorded).

Length of time of award for benefit cap affected households

11. The average length of time a DHP awarded to households affected by the benefit cap was given for in 2016/17

12. The number of DHPs awarded to households affected by the benefit cap given for the different time periods listed

a. Less than 4 weeks (includes one-off payments)

b. 4 weeks to 12 weeks

c. Between 12 weeks and 26 weeks

d. Between 26 weeks and 52 weeks

e. More than 52 weeks

Applicants affected by the benefit cap who are single parents with dependent children aged 0 or 1 year's old (if recorded)

13. The number of applications received where the applicant was impacted by the benefit cap and was a single parent with dependent children aged 0 or 1 years old (if recorded).

14. The number of applications refused where the applicant was impacted by the benefit cap and was a single parent with dependent children aged 0 or 1 years old (if recorded).

15. The number of applications refused where the applicant was impacted by the benefit cap and was a single parent with dependent children aged 0 or 1 years old, and had previously received a DHP award (if recorded).

C Discretionary Housing Payment's allocation policy

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

Response

A Q1. £277,703

Q2. £277,557

Q3. 809

Q4. 32

Q5. 6 months

Q6. Not recorded

Q7. Not recorded

B Q8. 153

Q9. 0

Q10. Not recorded

Q11. 16 weeks

Q12. (a) - 0, (b) - 0, (c) - 150, (d) - 3 (e) - 0

Q13. Not recorded

Q14. Not recorded

Q15. Not recorded

Q16. Attached  

Attachments

• FOI223153_Discretionary_Housing_Payments_(07_02_2013)_Appendix_C.doc