Charges for temporary accommodation
Case reference FOI2021/00296
Published 26 January 2022
Request
Q1. Does the Council use the power under s206(2) Housing Act 1996 to charge homeless people for temporary accommodation?
Q2. Does the Council hold any policies or internal guidance documents relating to charges for temporary accommodation, including on what constitutes a 'reasonable' charge in relation to s206(2) Housing Act 1996. If so, what is the content of the policies of guidance?
Q3. If the Council has charged homeless people for temporary accommodation, please provide information on the following for the past calendar year:
· The number of people charged.
· The total income received by the Council from any charges.
Q4. How many people paid such charges directly to the Council, rather than via charges taken directly from Universal Credit or other social security entitlements.
Q5. What, if any, is the total outstanding debt owed to the Council for temporary accommodation charges currently owed?
Response
Q1. Yes.
Q2. The Council follows UK Government guidance (Department for work and Pensions) Section 6: Temporary Accommodation -published 15th February, 2019 in relation to rent charged.
The guidance can be found online on the government website via the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/housing-benefit-subsidy-guidance-manual-2018-to-2019/section-6-temporary-accommodation
Q3. 33 people were charged and the total income received was £15,995.30.
Q4. 33
Q5. No debt is owed.
Documents
This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
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