Response 1802482

Response to request for information

Reference

1802482

Response date

3 July 2023

Request

I am requesting information under the Freedom of Information Act. This request contains 23 questions overall, concerning Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) and homelessness support.

I am requesting the following information regarding DHPs:

1. How many applications for DHPs did the council receive in 2022/23?
2. How many of the applications in question 1 did the council approve? (i.e. the council decided to award DHP in response to the application, either in full or in part)
3. How many of the applications in question 1 did the council refuse? (i.e. the council decided not to award any DHP in response to the application)
4. Please provide any data the council holds on reasons for DHPs being refused in 2022/23
5. What was the average amount of DHP awarded in response to successful DHP applications in 2022/23? This is the amount awarded for each application, not each household (i.e. three successive awards to one household count as three separate awards). Successful applications are those that were awarded any money

Please note that these questions treat each application for DHPs separately – regardless of whether more than one such application was made by the same household in a financial year, or whether they were made to renew previous awards.

For example, if in 2022/23 one household applied for DHP and was awarded it in full for a fixed period, then applied again and was awarded 50 percent of the requested amount, and then applied a third time and was refused with no money awarded – then in relation to this household:

• the question 1 figure is three (three separate applications)
• the question 2 figure is two (two applications were awarded in full or in part)
• the question 3 figure is one (one application refused with no award)

I wish to emphasise that if a council did not award any money to a DHP applicant but signposted the applicant elsewhere or provided support outside DHPs, this counts as a ‘refusal’ for the purposes of this request.

If the figures for any questions cannot be provided within the section 12 cost limit, please mark them as ‘information not held’ and fulfil the remainder of the request. This is not asking the council to provide all the information it can up to the section 12 cost limit (fulfilling the remaining questions may take the council well short of the section 12 cost limit).

I am further requesting the following information regarding homelessness support:

6. The number of households who were assessed as being owed the prevention duty each month so far in 2023
7. The monthly figures for question 6 where the reason for the threat of loss of home was the end of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) (where the AST ended for any reason, including those specified in questions 8 and 9)
8. The monthly figures for question 6 where the reason for the threat of loss of home was the end of an AST due to rent arrears
9. The monthly figures for question 6 where the reason for the threat of loss of home was the end of an AST due to the landlord wishing to sell or re-let the property
10. The number of households who were assessed as being owed the relief duty as the outcome of their initial assessment (i.e. not at the end of their prevention duty) each month so far in 2023
11. The monthly figures for question 10 where the reason for the loss of home was the end of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) (where the AST ended for any reason, including those specified in questions 12 and 13)
12. The monthly figures for question 10 where the reason for the loss of home was the end of an AST due to rent arrears
13. The monthly figures for question 10 where the reason for the loss of home was the end of an AST due to the landlord wishing to sell or re-let the property
14. The number of households who were assessed as being owed the main housing duty each month so far in 2023
15. The number of households who were owed the relief duty at the end of their prevention duty period, each month so far in 2023

Response

1. How many applications for DHPs did the council receive in 2022/23? 342
2. How many of the applications in question 1 did the council approve? (i.e. the council decided to award DHP in response to the application, either in full or in part) 177
3. How many of the applications in question 1 did the council refuse? (i.e. the council decided not to award any DHP in response to the application) 165
4. Please provide any data the council holds on reasons for DHPs being refused in 2022/23 - not recorded, this is not a DWP requirement
5. What was the average amount of DHP awarded in response to successful DHP applications in 2022/23? This is the amount awarded for each application, not each household (i.e. three successive awards to one household count as three separate awards). £463.70

I am further requesting the following information regarding homelessness support: 

We are unable to report on this data. The cost to create a bespoke report would exceed the cost of compliance.

6. The number of households who were assessed as being owed the prevention duty each month so far in 2023
7. The monthly figures for question 6 where the reason for the threat of loss of home was the end of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) (where the AST ended for any reason, including those specified in questions 8 and 9)
8. The monthly figures for question 6 where the reason for the threat of loss of home was the end of an AST due to rent arrears
9. The monthly figures for question 6 where the reason for the threat of loss of home was the end of an AST due to the landlord wishing to sell or re-let the property
10. The number of households who were assessed as being owed the relief duty as the outcome of their initial assessment (i.e. not at the end of their prevention duty) each month so far in 2023
11. The monthly figures for question 10 where the reason for the loss of home was the end of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) (where the AST ended for any reason, including those specified in questions 12 and 13)
12. The monthly figures for question 10 where the reason for the loss of home was the end of an AST due to rent arrears
13. The monthly figures for question 10 where the reason for the loss of home was the end of an AST due to the landlord wishing to sell or re-let the property
14. The number of households who were assessed as being owed the main housing duty each month so far in 2023
15. The number of households who were owed the relief duty at the end of their prevention duty period, each month so far in 2023