Scottish Discretionary Housing Payment: guidance manual

Section 8: Scottish Government monitoring

25. Expenditure and data requirements

25.1 Each LA must submit monitoring returns providing details of DHP expenditure. LAs will continue to follow the current practice and provide mid-year and end-year monitoring returns to the Scottish Government.

25.2 This monitoring information continues to improve the Scottish Government’s understanding of how DHPs are being used.

25.3 The Scottish Government requests information on DHPs at specific times during the financial year, including expenditure and number of awards.

25.4 Some of this information, such as the financial forecast and actual expenditure at mid-year and end of year, is mandatory. Other information is voluntary.

26. DHP monthly and biannual data reporting

26.1 The current arrangements for monthly reporting through ScotXed to the Scottish Government on DHPs will remain in place:

• what is the number of DHP applications you have received in the year to date? (If an individual re-applies for DHPs, this should be recorded as a new application)
• what is the number of DHP determinations you have made in the year to date? (This is the number of DHP applications where a decision has been made)
• what is the number of DHP awards you have made in the year to date? (This is the number of DHP applications where a decision to make an award has been made)
• what is the total value of DHP awards (in GBP) spent or committed in the year to date? (You should add up the total amount paid to each individual. For example, if the award is £10.00 per week for 20 weeks, the total award value for the individual should be recorded as £200.00. If the payment is a one-off payment, then the award amount for the individual is simply the amount paid)

26.2 At mid-year (six months to end September) and end-year (end March) LAs will be required to provide a report of actual spend against each category of DHP payment. This should reflect the intended outcomes of the payments issued. For any spend not detailed on the spreadsheet, a narrative will be required. This allows for continuous monitoring of the spend and any issues which have not been previously identified as a possible need for DHPs to be considered.

26.3 This method of reporting will be outlined in the form of a spreadsheet thereby negating the need for any LAs to update their current IT systems.

26.4 An end of year spreadsheet will be required to be sent to Scottish Government by 30 April of each year when the end of year monitoring return is completed. This will allow prompt financial reconciliation to be undertaken and the issuing of any balancing payments, if that is the method that has been agreed with the Settlement and Distribution Group.

26.5 The Scottish Government does not require details of individual applications. Only the total amounts spent under each category are requested.