Housing benefits data
Case reference FOI2026/00064
Received 10 January 2026
Published 2 February 2026
Request
Please could you supply the following information requested under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000:
1. The policy or procedure for checking the legitimacy of service charges where a resident is claiming benefits to cover them.
2. The number of housing benefit or universal credit claimants whose service charges are paid directly to their landlord, including where this is a single payment incorporating rents plus service charges.
3. The proportion of the above whose landlords are housing associations, if recorded.
Response
Please could you supply the following information requested under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000:
1. The policy or procedure for checking the legitimacy of service charges where a resident is claiming benefits to cover them.
Answer: The Service Area have advised that each claim for Housing Benefit is looked at individually. There are a number of different rent schemes for Housing Benefit which will determine how service charges are considered. For example, private rented accommodation is based on either the Local Housing Allowance (an amount set by Government) or Rent Officer Referrals (part of the Valuation Office Agency function who determine eligible rent for certain Housing Benefit claims). If the property is owned by a social landlord then we will review the charges. In social landlord cases, consideration is given to the total rent charged which includes any service charges. This will include reviewing the amounts charged that make up the total rent with comparisons to any increases on previous years and rents for other similar properties where appropriate.
2. The number of housing benefit or universal credit claimants whose service charges are paid directly to their landlord, including where this is a single payment incorporating rents plus service charges.
Answer: The Service Area have advised that 2,103 Housing Benefit claimants are paid directly to their landlord. However, we do not separately record those who are charged rent from those who are charged rent and service charges, nor do we administer Universal Credit, and so do not hold this information.
3. The proportion of the above whose landlords are housing associations, if recorded.
Answer: 1,781.
Documents
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