Exempt accommodation
Dear Camden Borough Council,
This is a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act.
This request concerns “exempt accommodation”. The UK Parliament defines this as: “Supported housing which is exempt from certain Housing Benefit provisions. It is a sector which houses more marginalised groups with support needs, such as recent prison leavers; care leavers; those fleeing domestic violence; and homeless people with substance dependence or mental health issues.”
I understand that housing benefit for people in “exempt accommodation” is paid by the council directly to landlords.
I would like to request the following information:
(1) Please state how much housing benefit has been paid by the council directly to landlords to provide “exempt accommodation” for those in receipt of the benefits. Please provide the figures for each of the past three financial years (2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21), as well as any available data for 2021/22.
(2) Please provide a list of the 20 landlords that have received the highest amount in housing benefit from the council for providing “exempt accommodation” for those in receipt of the benefits. Again, please provide this information for each of the past three financial years (2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21) as well as any available data for 2021/22. For each year, please (a) provide the landlord’s full name or company name, (b) state the total amount they received from the council in each year.
I would like to highlight how the Information Commissioner’s Office has previously ruled that this type of information should be disclosed. For example, in 2015, the ICO held that Torbay Council was not entitled to withhold the names of landlords who have directly received the largest amounts of housing benefit. In 2014, the ICO also ruled that Halton Borough Council was wrong to withhold similar information.
I would like to receive the data in an Excel format. If you feel that a substantive response to this request is not possible within a reasonable timeframe, I would be grateful if you could contact me and provide assistance as to how I can refine the request. If you need any clarification, please contact me.
I look forward to receiving a response in 20 working days. Many thanks.
Yours faithfully,
Jenna Corderoy
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References
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1. https://www.camden.gov.uk/formal-enquiry
2. https://opendata.camden.gov.uk/browse
3. http://www.camden.gov.uk/privacystatement
Dear Jenna Corderoy
Your case reference is CAM2886
Thank you for your enquiry. It is being looked at, we will be in touch
with you soon.
Yours sincerely
Camden Council
Dear Requester,
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 and ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION REGULATIONS
2004 – request for information. Ref: CAM2886
Thank you for your request dated 10 Feb 2022. We are dealing with it under
the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information
Regulations 2004.
You will receive a response by 10 Mar 2022 which is 20 working days (from
the day after the request is received) as defined by the Act and
Regulations.
Please check your spam folder in case our response may arrive there.
If we need to ask you to clarify your request we will contact you. If we
do ask for clarification and you don’t provide it your request will lapse,
so please read carefully any correspondence we send you about your
request.
We will provide information electronically where possible. If you need an
alternative format e.g. large print etc. please let me know.
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Further information is also available from the Information Commissioner’s
Office at [1]www.ico.org.uk, telephone 0303 123 1113, Email:
[2][email address].
Yours sincerely,
Tanya Bryant
Information Rights Officer
References
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1. http://www.ico.org.uk/
2. mailto:[email address]
London Borough of Camden
Information and Records Management
Judd Street
London.
WC1H 9JE
e-mail: [Camden Borough Council request email]
Dear Requester
Thank you for your recent request. Your response is attached.
We publish our responses on our Open Data Portal, you will be able to see
your response and others back to August 2017 [1]here, although there is a
small lag before publication.
Thank you for your interest in Camden council
Yours sincerely,
Tanya Bryant
Information Rights Officer
References
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1. https://opendata.camden.gov.uk/Your-Coun...
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