Enhanced Housing Benefit Claims
The Association has received notification from Supported Housing People Ltd that now is the time of year for supported housing providers to begin to think about revised enhanced housing benefit claims for the beginning of the next financial year.
What is Enhanced Housing Benefit?
Enhanced Housing Benefit is payable to providers of sheltered and supported housing who comply with Exempt Accommodation rules. Examples of items that qualify for enhanced benefits are:
- assistance in claiming Housing Benefits to ensure rent (maintenance contributions) are paid
- controlling access and facilitating site visits from contractors and other visitors
- arranging aids and adaptions
- health and safety and
- risk assessments of property, management, administration, maintenance costs etc. As long as these tasks are not funded by any other revenue streams they can be funded by Housing Benefit.
The Almshouse Association offers a template letter and a non-exhaustive list of services to members wishing to apply for Exempt Accommodation Status. These can be found at: https://www.almshouses.org/model-policies-and-templates/
We are advised that much more scrutiny is being applied to enhanced housing benefit claims, primarily as a consequence of the DWP Guidance on Housing Benefit Claims for Supported Housing. This is where SHP Ltd are offering their services to supported housing providers in order that they gain advice and guidance with their claims. They advise that their service does not usually cost the provider anything as the companyā€™s costs are built into the enhanced housing benefit claims.
The contact details for Supported Housing People Ltd are: Tel: 0800 7720065 / 07577 200300 or email info@supportedhousingpeople.co.uk.
posted 30 September 2024