Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) discretion rate is to increase by up to 35% from next month. This means that local authorities can now pay up to 35% more than the current set HAP rates – which differs between local authorities.
This will apply to new HAP tenancies from next month.
This would secure and expand more tenancies and prevent new entries to homelessness.
Along with increasing the HAP payment, Local authorities will now also be able to purchase homes where tenants in receipt of HAP are living and whose landlords are selling the property.