FOI Request Discretionary Housing Payments

Request 101001453523

1. On how many occasions since 7th November 2016 have you made a prospective Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) award to households affected by the benefit cap, that is, agreed to make payment before a tenancy agreement has been entered into? If you do not have figures for the period since 7 November 2016, please provide figures for the 3 month period prior to the date on which figures were last captured.
2. On how many occasions have you made an indefinite award of DHP (subject to continued eligibility) for a benefit capped household?
3. What is the median length of time for a DHP for benefit capped households?
4. What is the maximum period of time between an application for DHP and the decision that payment will be made?
5. What is the maximum period of time between an application for DHP and the payment of DHP?

Response 27-03-2017

1. None, any applications from households affected by the Benefit Cap since 07/11/16 have been from households in an existing tenancy.

2. None

3. 3 months

4. We aim to make decisions within 1 calendar month of receiving the application or receipt of all the information required to make a decision e.g. verification of income and expenditure, award of housing benefit or universal   credit (housing element).

5. Following a decision in the timescale detailed above payment of any DHP award would be aligned with the next award of housing benefit or BACS run for applicants in receipt of universal credit (housing element). If the need for the payment was required sooner than this an immediate payment can and will be made.