Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department provides to local authorities on administration of discretionary housing benefit; and what steps his Department is taking to monitor the effectiveness of delivery of that benefit to those most in need.

The Discretionary Housing Payment fund is not a benefit, but is available to people in receipt of either Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit if they need further financial help with housing costs. This includes helping with such things as rent deposits and removal costs as well as mitigating the impact of welfare reform.

These payments are discretionary and are made by local authorities who have a duty to act fairly and reasonably when considering applications. The Department does however provide on line guidance to Local Authorities in England and Wales. Local authorities also provide voluntary monitoring returns to the Department twice yearly on how these payments have been allocated. Details of the 2016/17 End of Year statistical monitoring returns can be found below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/576787/discretionary-housing-payments-guide.pdf