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.