You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Scottish housing leaders raise DHP concerns
Housing leaders have spoken out against the Scottish Government’s plan to make Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) schemes voluntary for councils.
Eleven benefits will be devolved to the Scottish Government, including DHPs, and the Social Security (Scotland) Bill will set out how this new social security system will operate.
The government presented the bill to the Scottish Parliament in June and the Social Security Committee is now scrutinising the bill with a call for responses from housing leaders.
The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Scotland, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA), Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) Scotland and several councils all said they were concerned that DHP schemes could be voluntary for councils.
CIH Scotland said the bill should include a “duty” for all councils to provide DHPs “subject to funding being available”.
READ MORE
CPAG Scotland said it is “very concerned” that there is no duty on councils to provide DHPs in the bill. Its response stated: “There must remain a Scotland-wide system, with no possibility that a piecemeal approach could develop across the country or that some local authorities could choose not to operate the scheme at all. DHPs are not just a vital response to welfare reforms, but are also a long-standing way of supporting people with housing costs who find themselves in difficult circumstances.”
Falkirk Council said while it accepts the payments are discretionary “we do not believe that the operation of the scheme should be similarly so”. The council added there is already “considerable variation” between councils over the awarding of DHPs.
SFHA’s response said councils should have a “duty” rather than a “power” to give financial assistance. It added DHPs should only be an interim measure and called on the Scottish Government to move quickly to abolish the bedroom tax and change Local Housing Allowance rates – both allowed under the devolved powers.
Glasgow Council said there is a risk DHPs could be subject to a “postcode lottery” if councils are not required by law to provide them.
Under the devolved powers the Scottish Government also has the power to create a new benefit. CIH Scotland questioned why there was no mention of this new benefit in the Bill. CIH Scotland said it is “not clear” why the power to create new benefits has not been included in the bill and would “welcome clarification of how and when the use of this power is to be addressed”.
