FOI Request - Charges for Temporary Accommodation

Request 101003726903

Update received 25-02-2025: "in 3.and the sub questions, it references 'people'. Please quote the number of households instead."

1. Does the Council use the power under s35(2) of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 to charge homeless people for temporary accommodation?

1a. If yes, when did the local authority begin charging.

2. Does the Council hold any policies or internal guidance documents relating to charges for temporary accommodation, including on what constitutes a ‘reasonable’ charge in relation to s35(2) and para 8.84 of the Scottish Government’s Code of Guidance on homelessness? If so, what is the content of the policies or guidance?

3. If the Council has charged homeless people for temporary accommodation, please provide information on the following for each of the following calendar years - 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2022, 2023 and 2024

a. How many households were charged.
b. The total income received by the council from any charges.
c.  How many households paid such charges directly to the council, rather than via charges taken directly from Universal Credit or other social security entitlements.

4. What, if any, was the total outstanding debt owed to the Council for temporary accommodation charges  in each of the years referred to in 3...and what is the current debt standing at.

Response 20-03-2025

1.  Yes

a) Not held. Records of charging on commencement of the Act are not held. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held.

2. This information is is published on our website and is therefore exempt under section 25 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, information otherwise accessible. For ease of reference please find a link to the web page here: http://www.moray.gov.uk/downloads/file150882.pdf

3.