Councils Attach Strings to Discretionary Housing Payments

Following the news that Brent Council is using its Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) budget to pay large families to move out of the borough, comes more examples of how the budget is increasingly being used for non-traditional spending.  DHP schemes have until now been largely employed to award temporary top ups to benefit recipients experiencing short-term financial difficulties. Now Milton Keynes Council and Kirklees Metropolitan Council have also attached strings to discretionary housing payments under set circumstances. Both will only award DHPs to residents with debt if they agree to seek advice on how to manage their money.  In Milton Keynes, there is an expectation that customers take reasonable steps to help themselves by working with third party agencies such as CAB to improve their financial and budgeting arrangements. Under Kirklees policy, discretionary housing payments to residents in ‘multiple debt’ situations will only be awarded ‘once the customer has attended a meeting with a debt advice professional.’  Read more on the Local Government Chronicle website.