The Head of Revenues and
Benefits Shared Service introduced the report and noted that the
Council is provided with an annual discretionary housing payment
(DHP) budget, from the Department of Work and Pensions. A total of
344 applications were awarded last year, with an increased budget
of just over £406,000 provided to the Council due to the
Covid-19 pandemic.
The DHP policy had been updated
to reflect the responsibilities of the claimant and the Council in
providing DHP’s, with the payments to be viewed as short-term
emergency funding.
RESOLVED: That Council be recommended to adopt the Discretionary Housing
Payment Policy, as attached at Appendix 1 to the report.