13th October 2008 / AGENDA ITEM 3 *
DISCRETIONARY HOUSING PAYMENTS REVIEW
1.0Matter for consideration
1.1To consider and determine a dispute arising under the Discretionary Housing Payments procedure.
2.0Recommendation(s)
2.1The Committee will be asked to determine the review.
3.0Information
3.1Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP’s) can be awarded with effect from 2nd July 2001 to help with rent and/or Council Tax costs. They can apply to private tenants, council tenants and owner-occupiers where Housing Benefit (HB) and or/Council Tax Benefit (CTB) have been reduced because of factors such as a rent restriction, “excess income”, or non-dependant deductions. The amount and duration of the DHP are at the discretion of the Authority.
3.2The Benefit Appeals Team (BAT) within Benefits and Service Access will process initial enquiries about the payments and where appropriate, will issue DHP Request Forms to prospective applicants. Any completed DHP Request Forms received will be processed by BAT, prior to being sent to the multi-agency DHP Panel for a decision.
3.3If within one month the DHP decision is disputed by the applicant, the matter is referred to the Employment and Appeals Committee for consideration. Disputed claims received after one month may be heard at the discretion of the BAT or Employment and Appeals Committee.
3.4A request for a review has now been received. Copies of the DHP Dispute Reports provided by BAT in respect of the cases are attached at Appendix 3(a) and the applicant has been invited to be present.
3.5A review may be undertaken in writing, unless otherwise requested by the applicant. Applicants, when they are notified of the date of the review, are requested to indicate whether they wish the review to be conducted in writing, or by means of an oral hearing. At the date of the agenda going to print a reply indicating the applicants wishes had not yet been received.
3.6The Head of Revenue and Benefits will be represented at the meeting to advise the Committee on policy and procedure only.
4.0Financial considerations
4.1Nil
5.0Legal considerations
5.1The Head of Legal and Democratic Services will be represented at the meeting to advise on policy and procedure only and has not been involved in any of the decisions taken previously.
Relevant officer:
Co-ordination of information for the review:
Mark Lewis, Head of Legal and Democratic Services
Tel: (01253) 477400, e-mail mark.lewis @blackpool.gov.uk
Written information for the review:
Julian Kearsley, Executive Director of Business Services
Tel: (01253) 478500, e-mail
Appendices attached:
Appendices 3(a): Review Papers (not for publication)
Background papers:
Exempt
Websites and e-mail links for further information:
Glossary:
Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP’s)
Housing Benefit (HB)
Benefit Appeals Team (BAT)
Council Tax Benefit (CTB)