Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction - Freedom of Information Requests

Disclosure Log - Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction

2024

October

Reference: 3564228

Subject:

Do you have an Exceptional Hardship Council Tax Reduction policy, or a similar named discretionary relief policy that provides for persons who may need additional support on top of Council Tax Support? (yes/no)
Does the policy support those who are not supported by the existing council tax reduction scheme? (yes/no)
Please provide a link to the policy
Does the policy allow for Council Tax to be written off?
When considering using Section 13A to remit the Council Tax charge, do you also consider alternative write off methods that would allow the Council to share bad debt with the other preceptors. If so, please detail them.
How much council tax has been written off under Section 13A each financial year from 2017-2024
How much council tax has been written off using alternative hardship policies each financial year from 2017-2024
If able, please provide a breakdown overview of the primary reasons where the scheme is used for the years 2017-2024? (examples may include victims of domestic violence, referral from money advice service, referral from Housing Support, and ill health.) If no data, any commentary would be appreciated.

Response date: 4 October 2024

Response: Response to this request - 3564228.

February

Reference: 2564672

Subject:

Please provide weekly Housing Benefit eligible rent levels paid for all supported accommodation in the Borough (and clarify if these are supported but not exempt and supported exempt). If possible, please could you show the total/gross weekly rent split between the core rent, eligible and ineligible service charges. If you cannot provide this, could you give the highest rent paid in these categories.

Response date: 07 February 2024

Response: Response to this request - 2564672.

Reference: 2565089

Subject:

The following information is to be provided on the sheet labelled Exempt accommodation full data.

Anonymised details for each individual paid housing benefit claim in respect of exempt accommodation by Rushcliffe Council from January 1, 2017 (or a more recent date if information this far back is unobtainable under FOI cost and time limit rules) to December 31, 2023.
This information can be provided on a weekly (e.g. Dec 18 – 24 2023) or monthly (e.g. December 2023) basis, whatever is simplest to compile.
Data should include the following details of the claim:

Unique (anonymised) claimant ID.
Local authority.
Exempt accommodation provider.
Payment period the data entry refers to (weekly or monthly, etc whichever is simplest. E.g. Dec 18 – 24 2023 or December 2023).
Total amount paid in Housing Benefit for supported exempt accommodation in the above period (direct to landlord or provider).
Total amount paid in Housing Benefit for supported exempt accommodation in period (to claimant).
Number of bedrooms in the claim.
Type of supported exempt accommodation (if known) (e.g. Mother and baby unit; emergency homeless accommodation).

Data should include the following details of the property attached to the claim:

Unique (anonymised) property ID.
Approximate anonymised location (e.g. ward).
Property type (e.g. apartment, terrace house, etc.).
Number of bedrooms in the property in period (NB: If this could lead to potentially identifiable data, for example if there are only a small number supported exempt accommodations with exactly 10 rooms, then please exclude this information and mark with *).

If it is not possible to provide information to the above level of detail, please instead provide the following summary information, on the sheet Summary data by provider:

Data for each exempt accommodation provider on how many claims are paid and how much money over a payment period by Rushcliffe Council from January 1, 2017 (or a more recent date if information this far back is unobtainable under FOI cost and time limit rules) to December 31, 2023.
This information can be provided on a weekly (e.g. Dec 18 – 24 2023) or monthly (e.g. December 2023) basis, whatever is simplest to compile.
Data should include the following details:

Local Authority.
Exempt accommodation provider.
Payment period (week and year or month and year, whichever is simplest).
Number of Housing Benefit claims for supported exempt accommodation.
Total amount paid in Housing Benefit for supported exempt accommodation in period (direct to landlord or provider).
Total amount paid in Housing Benefit for supported exempt accommodation in period (to claimant).

Response date: 7 February 2024

Response: Response to this request - 2565089.

2023

July

Reference: 1802482

Subject:

I am requesting the following information regarding DHPs:

How many applications for DHPs did the council receive in 2022/23?
How many of the applications in question 1 did the council approve? (i.e. the council decided to award DHP in response to the application, either in full or in part)
How many of the applications in question 1 did the council refuse? (i.e. the council decided not to award any DHP in response to the application)
Please provide any data the council holds on reasons for DHPs being refused in 2022/23
What was the average amount of DHP awarded in response to successful DHP applications in 2022/23? This is the amount awarded for each application, not each household (i.e. three successive awards to one household count as three separate awards). Successful applications are those that were awarded any money

Please note that these questions treat each application for DHPs separately – regardless of whether more than one such application was made by the same household in a financial year, or whether they were made to renew previous awards.

For example, if in 2022/23 one household applied for DHP and was awarded it in full for a fixed period, then applied again and was awarded 50 percent of the requested amount, and then applied a third time and was refused with no money awarded – then in relation to this household:

the question 1 figure is three (three separate applications)
the question 2 figure is two (two applications were awarded in full or in part)
the question 3 figure is one (one application refused with no award)

I wish to emphasise that if a council did not award any money to a DHP applicant but signposted the applicant elsewhere or provided support outside DHPs, this counts as a ‘refusal’ for the purposes of this request.

If the figures for any questions cannot be provided within the section 12 cost limit, please mark them as ‘information not held’ and fulfil the remainder of the request. This is not asking the council to provide all the information it can up to the section 12 cost limit (fulfilling the remaining questions may take the council well short of the section 12 cost limit).

I am further requesting the following information regarding homelessness support:

The number of households who were assessed as being owed the prevention duty each month so far in 2023
The monthly figures for question 6 where the reason for the threat of loss of home was the end of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) (where the AST ended for any reason, including those specified in questions 8 and 9)
The monthly figures for question 6 where the reason for the threat of loss of home was the end of an AST due to rent arrears
The monthly figures for question 6 where the reason for the threat of loss of home was the end of an AST due to the landlord wishing to sell or re-let the property
The number of households who were assessed as being owed the relief duty as the outcome of their initial assessment (i.e. not at the end of their prevention duty) each month so far in 2023
The monthly figures for question 10 where the reason for the loss of home was the end of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) (where the AST ended for any reason, including those specified in questions 12 and 13)
The monthly figures for question 10 where the reason for the loss of home was the end of an AST due to rent arrears
The monthly figures for question 10 where the reason for the loss of home was the end of an AST due to the landlord wishing to sell or re-let the property
The number of households who were assessed as being owed the main housing duty each month so far in 2023
The number of households who were owed the relief duty at the end of their prevention duty period, each month so far in 2023

Response date: 3 July 2023

Response: Response to this request - 1802482.

2022

November

Reference: 964412

Subject:

The purpose of this request is to collate benchmarking information and to inform an assessment of the cost effectiveness of operating rent deposit schemes on either a loan or grant basis. If your local authority would be interested in the outcome of this work, please advise in your return and I would be happy to share findings once available (January 2023).

Response date: 17 November 2022

Response: Response to this request - 964412.

October

Reference: 957011

Subject:

Information in respect of providers of exempt accommodation (regardless of whether they are registered as providers of social housing with the Homes and Communities Agency) covering the period of the last 3 financial years (2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22).

Response date: 11 October 2022

Response: Response to this request - 957011.

Reference: 951782

Subject:

A list of all the RSL's (Registered Social Landlords) - CICs (Community Interest Company's) - Charities and social enterprises that are registered with the councils housing department and have an active Landlord code to accommodate social HMO's 'Exempt' accommodation status.
In addition to a full list with contact details held on your system of All the companies that deal with 'Exempt' accommodation directly with the council.
Please advise the application process for a private landlord to directly submit a property for supported housing exempt status.
Please provide confirmation that the Council are accepting exempt accommodation applications directly from landlords and also please advise the average timescales in which applications are completed.
If the council does not permit applications directly from landlords for exempt status then please provide a list of the organisations on your platform that allow private landlords to use their company as a referral.
Pease provide a suitable contact name, email address and organisation chart to help attain an understanding of the exempt accommodation team and it's escalation points.
With regards to HMO exempt accommodation provided by private landlords (NOT RSL's), please provide visibility of the lowest, average and highest core rent currently paid and the lowest, average and highest eligible housing benefit service charges, complete with full itemisation/breakdown of all line items.
Please provide How many private rental properties in the councils jurisdiction have 'exempt accommodation' status?

Response date: 15 August 2022

Response: Response to this request - 951782.

Reference: 958068

Subject:

The amount of discretionary housing payments (DHP) the council has given out in the financial year ending March 2019
The amount of discretionary housing payments the council has given out in the financial year ending March 2020
The amount of discretionary housing payments the council has given out in the financial year ending March 2021
The amount of discretionary housing payments the council has given out in the financial year ending March 2022
The amount of discretionary housing payments the council has given out in the first half of the financial year up until the end of September 2022 (April 1 2022 - Sept 30 2022)

Response date: 11 October 2022

Response: Response to this request - 958068.

August

Reference: 925844

Subject:

What was the average amount of Discretionary Housing Payment awarded in response to successful DHP applications in 2020/21? This is the amount awarded for each application, not each household (i.e three successive awards to one household count as three separate awards). Successful applications are those that were awarded any money
What was the average amount of DHP awarded in response to successful DHP applications in 2021/22?

Response date: 15 August 2022

Response: Response to this request - 925844.

Reference: 922810

Subject:

1. i) Please state the local authority’s expenditure (including use of Government grants) on clearing the arrears of tenants in the following financial years.

a. 2017/2018
b. 2018/2019
c. 2019/2020
d. 2020/2021
e. 2021/2022
ii.) For each of the above years, please provide a breakdown of expenditure on clearing the arrears of council housing tenants, housing association tenants and private rental sector tenants.

2. i.) Please state the local authority’s expenditure (including use of Government grants) on discretionary housing payments to assist ongoing renting costs of tenants in the following years.

a. 2017/2018
b. 2018/2019
c. 2019/2020
d. 2020/2021
e. 2021/2022

ii.) For each of the above years, please provide a breakdown of expenditure on assisting the ongoing renting costs of council housing tenants, housing association tenants and private rental sector tenants

Response date: 15 August 2022

Response: Response to this request - 922810.

July

Reference: 921496

Subject:

Information regarding Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs):

How many applications for DHPs did the council receive in 2020/21?
How many of the applications in question 1 did the council approve? (the council decided to award DHP in response to the application, either in full or in part)
How many of the applications in question 2 were awarded in full? (the council decided to award the full amount applied for in the DHP application)
How many of the applications in question 1 did the council refuse? (the council decided not to award any DHP in response to the application)
How many applications for DHPs did the council receive in 2021/22?
How many of the applications in question 5 did the council approve? (the council decided to award DHP in response to the application, either in full or in part)
How many of the applications in question 6 were awarded in full? (the council decided to award the full amount applied for in the DHP application)
How many of the applications in question 5 did the council refuse? (the council decided not to award any DHP in response to the application)
Please provide any data the council holds on reasons for DHPs being refused in 2020/21 and 2021/22

Response date: 22 July 2022

Response: Response to this request - 921496.

June

Reference: 900874

Subject:

Please can you disclose the following:

details of the lowest awarded eligible core rent;
details of the highest awarded eligible core rent;
details of the lowest awarded gross eligible rent (i.e. inclusive of the core rent and the eligible service charges);
details of the highest awarded gross eligible rent (i.e inclusive of the core rent and the eligible service charges); and
Please confirm the names of exempt accommodation providers in your area. Please name the providers/landlords who currently hold exempt accommodation status in respect of any of their residents.

Response date: 30 June 2022

Response: Response to this request - 900874.

April

Reference: 856137

Subject:

Please complete the following questions below about the cost of exempt provision in your local authority in 2021/22.
- a) How much did you spend on the provision of “exempt accommodation”?
- b) How many HB claims did you receive under the exempt rules?
Please complete the following questions below about the providers of exempt accommodation in your local authority for each of the following years: 2021/22a) Total number of providers who received exempt HB funding. Of which were:
- i) Registered Providers (registered with the Regulator of Social Housing).
- ii) Registered Charities (Organisations registered with Charity Commission but not with Regulator for Social Housing)
- iii) Community Interest Companies (registered as a CIC on the Companies House register, but not registered with the Regulator of Social Housing or the Charity Commission).
- iv) Local Authority (including those where the Authority is also registered with the Regulator of Social Housing).
- v) Other
- b)Total number of units provided that received exempt HB funding for each of the following years: 2021/22
- i) Registered Providers (registered with the Regulator of Social Housing).
- ii) Registered Charities (Organisations registered with Charity Commission but not with Regulator for Social Housing)
- iii) Community Interest Companies (registered as a CIC on the Companies House register, but not registered with the Regulator of Social Housing or the Charity Commission).
- iv) Local Authority (including those where the Authority is also registered with the Regulator of Social Housing).
- v) Other
Could you provide a list of all providers that have provided exempt accommodation and, if possible, the number of claims they are/were responsible for? Could you please provide this data for the years 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22

Response date: 29 April 2022

Response: Response to this request - 856137.

March

Reference: A1346455

Subject: This request concerns “exempt accommodation”. The UK Parliament defines this as: “Supported housing which is exempt from certain Housing Benefit provisions. It is a sector which houses more marginalised groups with support needs, such as recent prison leavers; care leavers; those fleeing domestic violence; and homeless people with substance dependence or mental health issues.”

Response date: 4 March 2022

Response: Response to this request - A1346455.

2021

October

Reference: A1345763

Subject: I wondered if you could give me the details on the length of time you hold your records - calls, notes, recordings for correspondence about changes to claims i.e. council tax, housing benefit and any other claims you deal with?

Response date: 5 October 2021

Response: Response to this request - A1345763.

April

Reference: A1345137

Subject: Self-isolation support payments.

Response date: 28 April 2021

Response: Response to this request - A1345137.

Reference: A1345095

Subject: Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) since January 2021.

Response date: 16 April 2021

Response: Response to this request - A1345095.

Reference: A1345088

Subject: Expenditure on Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) for the 2019/20 financial year.

Response date: 15 April 2021

Response: Response to this request - A1345088.

Disclosure Log