The Discretionary Housing Payments Review Advisory Panel met to consider two requests for reviews of refusals by Westminster City Council to grant Discretionary Housing Payments.

The meeting was also scheduled to note any changes to the membership of the panel and receive declarations of interests from Members and Officers.

Review requests

The panel was scheduled to consider two requests to review decisions to refuse applications for Discretionary Housing Payments.

The meeting was not open to the public for this item on the agenda. The agenda states that the reports relating to these requests, and the discussion of them, was likely to reveal exempt information relating to individuals. The agenda states that the panel decided that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Discretionary Housing Payments

Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) can be awarded by councils to people who claim Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit. They help people to meet the costs of housing that are not covered by their benefit.

Westminster City Council's website states that:

DHPs are to help people who need extra help with housing costs and are on Housing Benefit or the housing costs element of Universal Credit. They are not intended to be a long-term solution.

Exempt Information

Under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, councils can decide to exclude the public from meetings where it is likely that confidential information will be discussed. Schedule 12A of the Act sets out a range of information that is considered to be confidential. This includes information relating to any individual.