Response 3985562

Response to request for information

Reference

3985562

Response date

27 April 2026

Request

The number of Housing Benefit claims for exempt accommodation made between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2025, broken down by year. 

The total expenditure on Housing Benefit for exempt accommodation between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2025, broken down by year.

The number of distinct landlords OR providers receiving Housing Benefit payments for exempt accommodation between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2025, broken down by year. 

For clarity, “exempt accommodation” refers to accommodation where Housing Benefit is paid under the exempt accommodation provisions of the Housing Benefit Regulations. If your authority records this under a different but equivalent category (e.g. specified accommodation), please provide the closest available data and specify the definition used.

Response

Please note, we do not have the information for 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2020.

The number of Housing Benefit claims for exempt accommodation made between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2025, broken down by year. 

• 2021 - 186
• 2022 - 189
• 2023 - 187
• 2024 - 229
• 2025 - 232

The total expenditure on Housing Benefit for exempt accommodation between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2025, broken down by year.

• 2021 - £1,088,875.06
• 2022 - £1,156,262.31
• 2023 - £1,223,204.46
• 2024 - £1,909,270.90
• 2025 - £2,223,698.14

The number of distinct landlords OR providers receiving Housing Benefit payments for exempt accommodation between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2025, broken down by year. 

• We have nine providers from 2021 to 2024 and ten from 2025.