Exempt accommodation
Dear South Norfolk District 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
SUBJECT: PLEASE READ: acknowledgement / response to your request
Thank you for your request. We have to respond to Freedom of Information
Act (FOIA) requests within 20 working days and as soon as is reasonably
practicable. You will therefore hear back from us as soon as possible.
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Information relating to Norfolk County Council:
If your request relates to any of the following, you should refer your
request to Norfolk County Council
https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/what-we-do-an...,
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Information that is published on our website:
If your request relates to the following information, I should advise that
this information is exempt under Section 21 (1) of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000, as the information is reasonably accessible via our
website:
https://www.southnorfolkandbroadland.gov...
• Council Budgets - refer to our Budget Books
• Contracts - refer to the Council’s Contract Register
• Business Rates - refer to details about all Business Rate accounts
• Staff - refer to the Senior Structure Chart
• Money spent - refer to data relating to spending over £250
• Public Health Funerals Refer to Public Funerals page
In accordance with the FOIA this email acts as a Refusal Notice. In terms
of the exemption, you have a right of appeal against our decision. In the
first instance this appeal must be internal, and you can email
[email address] to request a review.
Please do not reply to this message - replies to this message are routed
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PLEASE READ: acknowledgement / response to your request
Thank you for your request. We have to respond to Freedom of Information
Act (FOIA) requests within 20 working days and as soon as is reasonably
practicable. You will therefore hear back from us as soon as possible.
However, please note that if your request relates to the following, this
email acts as a response to your request and you will not receive further
correspondence from us.
Information relating to Norfolk County Council:
If your request relates to any of the following, you should refer your
request to Norfolk County Council
[1]https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/what-we-do-an...,
as they are responsible for these services:
· Roads and Transport – potholes, road safety
· Education and Learning - schools
· Care, support and health – adult social care, blue badges
· Children and Families – adoption
· Libraries, local history and archives
· Trading Standards
Information that is published on our website:
If your request relates to the following information, I should advise that
this information is exempt under Section 21 (1) of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000, as the information is reasonably accessible via our
website:
[2]https://www.southnorfolkandbroadland.gov...
· Council Budgets - refer to our Budget Books
· Contracts - refer to the Council’s Contract Register
· Business Rates - refer to details about all Business Rate
accounts
· Staff - refer to the Senior Structure Chart
· Money spent - refer to data relating to spending over £250
· Public Health Funerals Refer to Public Funerals page
In accordance with the FOIA this email acts as a Refusal Notice. In terms
of the exemption, you have a right of appeal against our decision. In the
first instance this appeal must be internal, and you can email
[3][email address] to request a review.
Please do not reply to this message - replies to this message are routed
to an unmonitored mailbox.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/what-we-do-an...
2. https://www.southnorfolkandbroadland.gov...
3. mailto:[email address]
Good afternoon,
Could I please have a response? I sent the request in February.
Yours faithfully,
Jenna Corderoy
PLEASE READ: acknowledgement / response to your request
Thank you for your request. We have to respond to Freedom of Information
Act (FOIA) requests within 20 working days and as soon as is reasonably
practicable. You will therefore hear back from us as soon as possible.
However, please note that if your request relates to the following, this
email acts as a response to your request and you will not receive further
correspondence from us.
Information relating to Norfolk County Council:
If your request relates to any of the following, you should refer your
request to Norfolk County Council
[1]https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/what-we-do-an...,
as they are responsible for these services:
· Roads and Transport – potholes, road safety
· Education and Learning - schools
· Care, support and health – adult social care, blue badges
· Children and Families – adoption
· Libraries, local history and archives
· Trading Standards
Information that is published on our website:
If your request relates to the following information, I should advise that
this information is exempt under Section 21 (1) of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000, as the information is reasonably accessible via our
website:
[2]https://www.southnorfolkandbroadland.gov...
· Council Budgets - refer to our Budget Books
· Contracts - refer to the Council’s Contract Register
· Business Rates - refer to details about all Business Rate
accounts
· Staff - refer to the Senior Structure Chart
· Money spent - refer to data relating to spending over £250
· Public Health Funerals Refer to Public Funerals page
In accordance with the FOIA this email acts as a Refusal Notice. In terms
of the exemption, you have a right of appeal against our decision. In the
first instance this appeal must be internal, and you can email
[3][email address] to request a review.
Please do not reply to this message - replies to this message are routed
to an unmonitored mailbox.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/what-we-do-an...
2. https://www.southnorfolkandbroadland.gov...
3. mailto:[email address]
Dear Jenna,
I am attaching our response to your request which we originally emailed to
you on 4 March 2022.
Kind regards
Sue Garrod
Governance Support Officer
t 01603 430423 e [1][email address]
Please note that my normal working hours are 9.30am to 2pm Monday to
Friday
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