Guidance

Housing Benefit subsidy guidance manual 2020 to 2021

This guidance is for local authorities. It explains the subsidies DWP pays them for certain costs of the Housing Benefit (HB) scheme.

• From: Department for Work and Pensions
• Published: 21 April 2021

Documents

About this guidance and contents

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Section 1: Introduction

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Section 2: Benefit costs

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Section 3: Backdating

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Section 4: Overpayments

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Section 5: Disproportionate rent increase rule (Scottish and Welsh authorities only)

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Section 6: Temporary accommodation

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Section 7: Rent allowances

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Section 8: Expenditure not to be included as qualifying expenditure because it does not attract subsidy

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Section 9: Rent rebate subsidy limitation

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Section 10: Administration costs

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Section 11: In-year instalments of subsidy and payments of subsidy

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Section 12: Extended payments of Housing Benefit

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Section 13: Expenditure attracting full rate subsidy not separately identified elsewhere on the claim form

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Appendices A to G

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Details

This guidance covers subsidies for:

• benefit costs
• administration costs

Best practice guide

We’ve also published the Housing Benefit subsidy claims: local authority best practice guide to help local authorities minimise or avoid qualified audits of HB subsidy claims.

Guidance for 2015 to 2019 and earlier

HB subsidy guidance for 2018 to 2019

HB subsidy guidance for 2017 to 2018

HB subsidy guidance for 2016 to 2017

HB subsidy guidance for 2015 to 2016

HB subsidy guidance for 2014 to 2015

HB and Council Tax Benefit (CTB) subsidy guidance for 2013 to 2014

We’ve archived the HB and CTB Subsidy Guidance Manual 2012 to 2013.

Guidance for earlier years can be found on the National Archives website.

Published 21 April 2021