The Discretionary Housing Payments Review Advisory Panel of Westminster Council was scheduled to meet on Thursday 16 April 2026 to discuss changes to Discretionary Housing Payments and review decisions on awarding these payments. The meeting was held online and chaired by Councillor Liza Begum, Cabinet Member for Housing Services.

Changes to Discretionary Housing Payments

The panel was scheduled to consider changes to Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) that were due to come into effect from April 2026. These payments are a form of financial assistance provided by local authorities to help people who are struggling to afford their rent or housing costs. The report pack indicated that these changes would be detailed on pages 3-4 of the public reports pack.

Review of Refusal to Grant Discretionary Housing Payment

A significant portion of the meeting was allocated to reviewing decisions where Discretionary Housing Payments had been refused. The panel was set to consider three confidential cases, detailed on pages 5-250 of the public reports pack. These reviews would involve examining individual circumstances where applicants were not awarded a DHP.

The agenda also noted that the public and press would be excluded from the meeting for item 4, concerning exempt reports under the Local Government Act 1972. This exclusion was recommended because the item involved the likely disclosure of exempt information relating to individuals, and it was considered that the public interest in maintaining this exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosure.