Internal only representations to be made to lead officer by. In april 20, the government updated the guidance manual for applications for discretionary housing payments dhps to coincide with a number of changes. You can read the guidance manual and guide by clicking on the link above. The regulations are supplemented with a dwp dhp guidance manual which have informed this policy and will support it dhps provide customers with further financial assistance in addition to any welfare. This guidance is for local authorities in england and wales who are responsible for administering discretionary housing payments. Discretionary housing payments guidance manual draft dwp circular hbctb circular s1 20 consultation arrangements. The council does not expect to use discretionary housing payments as a general supplement to the level of universal credit paid but would make payments in line with this policy where the universal credit housing element was restricted below the claimants actual rent on the basis of local housing allowance rates or size criteria. Background details the discretionary housing payment dhp scheme has. Discretionary housing payments dhp provide extra money when a council decides that someone needs extra help to meet their housing costs. Discretionary housing payment dhp policy august 20 3. Aug 28, 20 revised discretionary housing payments manual to reflect that this guidance stopped applying to scotland from april 2017. Discretionary housing payment can be made as lump sums for certain other housing needs such as deposits.
Discretionary housing payments guidance manual gov. To access the department for works and pensions dhp guidance manual as amended in april 20 to reflect a number of significant welfare reforms please click here. What do the changes to the discretionary financial assistance regulations mean. Discretionary housing payments dhps can be provided by councils to. Before some awards are made the council will look to work in. Applyinggivenfor a dhp the dhp scheme will be brought to the attention of customers with a shortfall in their rent. Starting in 20 to 2014, local authorities were requested to provide details to dwp of their use of discretionary housing payment funds. Ff background papers please contact the author of the report for any further information. This report summarises the findings of the consultation and sets out what we will do next. The shared revenues partnership discretionary housing. Following the abolition of council tax benefit from april 20, dhp. Challenging discretionary housing payments by way of judicial. This guidance manual is for local authorities las in england and wales who are responsible for administering discretionary housing payments dhps. Draft discretionary housing payments guidance manual, april 20.
Open decision item one corby policy committee 9th april 20. In these circumstances, discretionary housing payments are intended to help benefit claimants with their housing costs. It updates the previous guidance issued in april 20. Dwp housing benefit and council tax benefit circular hbctb s1 20 details of the.
Bolsover district council discretionary housing payment policy and procedures april 20 background discretionary housing payments d. The guidance was updated and reissued in march 2018. Discretionary housing payments guidance manual and the local authority good practice guide. Draft discretionary housing payments guidance manual, april. Recent developments in housing law garden court chambers. Outlook\qkqtbphc\discretionary housing payments policy 20 v2 3.
Discretionary housing payments 20 4 created on 190220 c. Discretionary housing payments shelter legal england. Under amendments to the financial assistance regulations, from april 20 discretionary housing payments can be paid to cover other housing costs in addition to rent commitments. For the purpose of the scheme, housing costs means rental liability not met in full by housing benefit hb or universal credit uc entitlement. This consultation seeks your views on the discretionary housing payments dhp guidance manual that will come into force from april 20.
Discretionary housing payments guidance manual this guidance is for local authorities in england and wales who are responsible for administering discretionary housing payments. In april 20, the government updated the guidance manual for applications for discretionary housing payments dhps to coincide with a number of changes to welfare benefits including the introduction of universal credit and the abolition of council tax benefit and removal of the spare room subsidy better known as the bedroom tax. In addition the law does not allow awards to be made. Discretionary housing payments dhps are payments made to help people who get some housing benefit or universal credit that includes a housing element, who need extra help to pay their rent. Appendix a discretionary housing payment policy 201920 and subsequent years. In barnet the dhp scheme is administered in accordance with the dwp guidance manual. Dwps discretionary housing payments guidance manual including local authority good practice guide april 20. These powers are also supported and guided by the dwp dhp guidance manual guidance introduced from april 20 and subject to update the guidance. The discretionary housing payments guidance manual published by department for work and pensions dwp gives local authorities on the operation of the scheme. Hull city council benefits service discretionary housing payments. Awarding discretionary housing payments welfare conditionality. It provides guidance and advice on good practices that should be taken into account when payment of a dhp is being considered.
The dwp has issued revised guidance, entitled discretionary housing payments guidance manual. Timelineapril 2017 discretionary housing payments transferred to scotlandeligibilityyou can get a dhp from your local authority if youre entitled to housing benefit or youre entitled to universal credit. Final april 20 1 discretionary housing payments and council tax discretionary payments guidance background housing benefit discretionary housing payments dhp is payable in addition to housing or council tax benefit, where certain criteria are met. Housing benefit that has been suspended certain sanctions and reductions in benefit further explanation of these can be found in the dwp guide. Discretionary housing payments guidance feb 20 including. This factsheet is for councils to give to claimants. The discretionary housing payments guidance manual and good practice. Amendments were made to the regulations from april 20 to include universal credit.
Discretionary housing payments can only be awarded to customers who are in receipt of. Including local authority good practice guide 20, which advises of these changes. These powers are also supported and guided by the department for work and pensions discretionary housing payment guidance manual. Appendix a is reproduced in annex a to this document for convenience. Appendix a local discretionary housing policy scheme. Background papers dwps discretionary housing payments guidance manual including local authority good practice guide april 20. Discretionary housing payment dhp policy august 20. Harlow discretionary housing payments dhp policy the regulations covering dhps are the discretionary financial assistance regulations 2001. Expenditure is expected to fall within 4 broad areas.
May 07, 2014 the discretionary housing payments dhp scheme was established in 2001 under sections 6970 of the child support, pensions and social security act 2000 to enable local authorities to provide further financial assistance to claimants in receipt of housing benefit who required additional help with their housing costs due to a shortfall in. Draft discretionary housing payments guidance manual. Discretionary payments guidance background housing benefit discretionary housing payments dhp is payable in addition to housing or council tax benefit, where certain criteria are met. Discretionary housing payments irwin mitchell solicitors. The discretionary housing payments guidance manual and good practice guide for local authorities for local authorities in england and wales provides more information on the eligibility criteria for dhps and local authorities role in administering them. Scottish government guidance for discretionary housing. Most commonly, a dhp is awarded is where there is a shortfall between the claimants rent and the maximum housing benefit payable under the regulations. If your universal credit or housing benefit doesnt cover all of your rent or other housing costs and you need assistance to meet the shortfall, you may be able to get a dhp from your local authority. One corby policy committee 9th april 20 discretionary housing payments policy synopsis this report seeks approval of an updated discretionary housing payments policy, following the recent welfare reform changes that have been and are being introduced by the government.
Scottish government guidance for discretionary housing payments background powers over discretionary housing payments dhps will transfer to the scottish government from april 2017. The shared revenues partnership discretionary housing payments. Dwp consultation on discretionary housing payments guidance. Discretionary housing payments guidance manual including local authority good practice guide april 20 issued by dwp. To view the manual as a pdf document, use the link below. Shelter legal england discretionary housing payments. To access the discretionary housing payments policy equality impact assessment eia please click here.
Draft discretionary housing payments guidance manual, april 20 10th september, 2012 the dwp have release a new draft guidance manual for discretionary housing payments in april 20. Discretionary housing payments legal services agency. Discretionary housing payment policy efficiency and resources. Chichester district council discretionary housing payments. The dwp have release a new draft guidance manual for discretionary housing payments in april 20. A1120 ms excel spreadsheet, 72kb this file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. A11 20 ms excel spreadsheet, 72kb this file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. Dwps discretionary housing payments guidance manual including local authority good practice guide december 2016. Pensions discretionary housing payment guidance manual april 20 draft guidance replaces the march 2011guidance to ensure the scheme covers introduction of universal credit and the abolition of council tax benefit. Discretionary housing payments guidance manual and good practice guide february 2016. Council tax benefit was abolished from 1 april 20 and discretionary housing payments can no longer be used to assist households with meeting the cost of their council tax liability.
The dwps guidance manual for dhps provides further information to assist local. The dwp have also stated that, because of the reasons for the temporary increase in funding, it wants to know how dhps are being used to support those. The guidance takes effect from 1 april 20 and replaces the previous guidance issued in march 2011. For 201718, ministers have committed to implementing minimal changes to ensure a smooth and secure transition, and local. Discretionary housing payments 1 apr 20 to 30 sep 20 appendix a ref. Discretionary housing payments by desmond rutledge barrister at garden court chambers. This replaces the 2011 guidance, and reflects changes in. The legislation governing discretionary housing payments dhps can be found in the. David evans, use of discretionary housing payments.
We operate our scheme within guidance issued by department for works and pensions dwp for best practice. This manual updates the previous guidance issued in march 2018. The department for work and pensions has also issued a discretionary housing payments guidance manual and the local authority good practice guide to help local authorities to use their powers lawfully and fairly. Your rights explained the background in april 20, the government updated the guidance manual for applications for discretionary housing payments dhps to coincide with a number of changes to welfare benefits including the introduction of universal credit and the abolition of council tax benefit and removal of the spare room subsidy better known as the. Discretionary housing payments dhps with effect from 2 july 2001. As discretionary housing payments are budget limited, authorities have to take into account the financial implications of their decisions.