Terms & Conditions

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have any knowledge or experience of working with housing aid / homelessness sections in using the DHP budget (or part of it).
I’m thinking in terms of topping up the basic allocation with funds that might otherwise be within the council’s housing aid budget, which could then be allocated with a specific view either towards homelessness prevention (perhaps based on referrals) or to sustain short term lets in the private sector as an alternative to B&B.
Any information gratefully received

[Anonymous]

Does not a DHP have to be applied for by the claimant?

SI 1167 https://hbinfo.org/menu2/si/si2001_1167.shtml

3. Circumstances in which discretionary housing payments may be made

For the purposes of section 69(2)(a) of the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000, the prescribed circumstance in which discretionary housing payments may be made is where a person has made a claim for a discretionary housing payment and the requirement for financial assistance does not arise as a consequence of

In the CPAG book page 885 in relation to Reg 2 the commentary discuses whether or not the claim has to be in writing but there still must be a claim.

Please someone tell me if I am wrong

[fionacowan]

DHP’s have to be awarded to specific claimants. They don’t have to be applied for by the claimant, can be somebody on their behalf but a claim must be made.

Unfortunately can’t be used to top up a budget.

[Andy Thurman]

I have had a number of queries from our Housing/homelessness sections requesting DHP support for one scheme or another.
Partly due to the budget but primarily in line with the basic premise of DHP, I have maintained that it is not appropriate. DHPs are not restricted by “exceptional” circs as per the old discretionary schemes, but cases should be judged individually on their merits.

We have 2nd stage homeless tenants who have, through no fault of their own, become subject to much higher rents following the necessary abolition of a “ceiling rent” scheme. As the budget could only return 6 or 7 families to their original financial situation (ignoring any other DHP claim made!) DHP’s have not been awarded to these tenants unless other ‘qualifying’ circs apply.

Hope this helps.

[Anonymous]

I have had some experience in this area, where we did look at utilising DHP funding in some way, however, we abandoned the idea as our homelessness department would not allocate a property to a customer until they could ascertain whether DHP would be paid.

Obviously, this in effect amounts to taking advantage of the HB system/conflict of interest etc etc…

We therefore shelved the idea as DHP payments must be considered on the merits of each individual circumstance and therefore no ‘blanket’ arrangement could be reached.

Hope this helps! :6:

[Author]

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