See answers to previous information requests

I am requesting information under the Freedom of Information Act. This request contains 23 questions overall, concerning Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) and homelessness support. I am requesting the following information regarding DHPs:

1. How many applications for DHPs did the council receive in 2022/23?
327

2. 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)
264

3. 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)
63

4. Please provide any data the council holds on reasons for DHPs being refused in 2022/23
Common reasons for refusal are:
• Excess capital
• Already receiving full housing benefit or housing element of UC and therefore no shortfall
• Income exceeds their expenditure.

5. 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
£549.56

I am further requesting the following information regarding homelessness support:
6. The number of households who were assessed as being owed the prevention duty each month so far in 2023
• January: 28
• February: 21
• March: 19
• April: 15
• May: 24
• June: 17
7. 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)
• January: 13
• February: 10
• March: 7
• April: 10
• May: 13
• June: 10

8. 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
• January: 3
• February: 2
• March: 1
• April: 0
• May: 1
• June: 2

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 the landlord wishing to sell or re-let the property
• January: 6
• February: 8
• March: 6
• April: 7
• May: 8
• June: 4

10. 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
• January: 30
• February: 26
• March: 29
• April: 25
• May: 17
• June: 14

11. 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) January
• January: 8
• February: 3
• March: 8
• April: 5
• May: 4
• June: 3

12. The monthly figures for question 10 where the reason for the loss of home was the end of an AST due to rent arrears
• January: 3
• February: 2
• March: 4
• April: 1
• May: 2
• June: 0

13. 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
• January: 2
• February: 1
• March: 2
• April: 2
• May: 2
• June: 1

14. The number of households who were assessed as being owed the main housing duty each month so far in 2023
• January: 4
• February: 4
• March: 2
• April: 2
• May: 4
• June: 1

15. The number of households who were owed the relief duty at the end of their prevention duty period, each month so far in 2023
Please note that DLUHC publishes homelessness data by quarter rather than by month – this request asks for data by month, which is not published by DLUHC at any point. This request asks for monthly data as it allows for closer tracking of changes in homelessness trends than quarterly figures.
This request is for data on decisions taken in each month – so, if a decision to grant a household the prevention duty (due to AST rent arrears) was made in February, that household would count towards the February figure for questions 6, 7 and 8. If at the end of its prevention duty period the household was then granted the relief duty in April, it would count towards the April figure for question 15. However, if the council holds data based on a different methodology please provide it using that methodology.
• January: 0
• February: 1
• March: 1
• April: 0
• May: 0
• June: 0