Guidance

LA Welfare Direct lite 4/2020

Updated 11 December 2020

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Contact

If you have queries about the:

Who should read

All Housing Benefit staff.

Action

For information.

DHP 2019-20 monitoring form provided as a separate attachment Appendix A

Discretionary Housing Payments end-of-year monitoring return 2019-20

1. Thank you for providing your mid-year 2019-20 Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) monitoring returns. The information was published in Use of Discretionary Housing Payments: April to September 2019

2. The monitoring returns are important in helping the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) understand how DHPs are being used to support people affected by Welfare Reforms.

3. You are now asked to provide end-of-year returns in relation to the period 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020. We are again, only seeking details of DHPs paid during this period. Do not include any DHP spend, which is committed, but is due to be paid after 31 March 2020. Further details can be found in Appendix B of the DHP Guidance Manual and the guide to completion tab of the DHP monitoring form.

4. In line with the approach taken on previous occasions, the monitoring form asks for the value of DHPs paid, broken down into Welfare Reform impacts and the purpose of the award, for example, an award made as a result of the implementation of the lower benefit cap with the intention of helping the claimant secure and move into alternative accommodation. If information relating to the purpose of the award is not available, local authorities (LAs) are asked to record just the total DHP paid in respect of the Welfare Reform listed.

5. The DHP monitoring returns should also include payments made to both Housing Benefit and Universal Credit (Housing cost) claimants. Additionally, we are asking for information on the number of applications received and number of awards made in total in relation to both Universal Credit and Housing Benefit claimants.

6. You should complete and return the excel monitoring form attached as, Appendix A DHP monitoring form [Excel], or alternatively Appendix A DHP monitoring form [open document format] by Friday 15 May 2020 to dhp.monitoringinbox@dwp.gov.uk

Reminder: DHP final claim form returns 2019-20

7. The DHP final claim form for 2019-20 was issued to LAs on 9 March 2020 and is due by 30 April 2020. We appreciate this date may be challenging for some LAs, however, it is important to return this form as soon as possible so we can determine final payments to LAs for 2019-20. Do note, an electronic signature is acceptable for these claim forms.

DHP government contributions 2020-2021: Initial estimate form for England and Wales

8. To ease the burden on LAs during these unprecedented times we will not require the completion of the DHP government contribution initial estimates form issued to LAs on 20 March 2020 until further notice. However, in the meantime, we ask that LAs monitor their DHP spend to enable us to assess the ongoing impact from the current crisis on DHP funding.

9. We are intending to pay one third of the total DHP government contributions allocated to each LA (as notified in circular HB S2/2020 ) and this is due for payment in June 2020. (Do note that in line with HM Treasury guidance, LAs will not be able to carry over any unspent DHP funds from 2019-20.)

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