Response 4071335

Response to request for information

Reference

4071335

Response date

10 August 2026

Request

I am a writing a student paper on housing benefit and specified accommodation. It would be appreciated if your Housing Benefit Team could provide the following information about what checks are carried out on those schemes and maximum rent levels.

1. Please could you provide a snapshot of all live specified/supported accommodation claims being paid by Housing Benefit
2. The above to be provided in a spreadsheet and show what category the specified accommodation is in (long, short term, sheltered etc) and also the sub-category (exempt, managed, refuges, hostels).
3. Please could you also provide the gross weekly rent charge for each claim, the ineligible services/meals and maximum eligible rent for HB.
4. Please if you have an application process for Housing Providers who are looking to open a new scheme in your area or if one opens if your area.  If you ask them to complete a form or questionnaire, could you provide a copy and any details of any additional documents you request. (this would be in advance of any individual housing benefit claims for tenants).
5. If you do not ask for the scheme information as above can you confirm if individual checks are made only when a HB claim is submitted for a tenant. 

Response

Questions 1 to 3

Please also note that the Council considers the information requested above to fall under the exemption in section 43(2) of the FOIA.   The information requested is held by the Council.  However, the Council is of the view the information is commercially sensitive and having considered whether it would be in the public interest to provide you with the information has concluded that disclosing the information requested would prejudice the Council’s commercial interests and distort genuine competition resulting in the inflation of rent. I am satisfied that in all the circumstances of this case the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing it in accordance with section 43(2) of the FOIA.  

Question 4 - Please see form attached

Question 5 - Not applicable