Review of ongoing payments
All ongoing payments (e.g. for accommodation costs) are to be reviewed within four weeks following the end of the civil defence emergency or adverse event requiring the activation of the Civil Defence payments. The local authority will usually declare when the civil defence emergency or adverse event is over.
Civil Defence Payments are intended to meet an immediate need during a period of a civil defence emergency or adverse event. While some people may not be able to return to their homes for an extended period and some will never be able to return to their homes, they must make alternative accommodation arrangements as soon as practicable once the civil defence emergency or adverse event is over. Only in exceptional circumstances would we continue payments for longer than four weeks following the end of the emergency or adverse event.
Exceptional circumstances could include:
- lack of alternative accommodation options in the local area or
- a definite date in the near future for returning to their home or moving into alternative accommodation (e.g. a confirmed date for their damaged home to be repaired or declared habitable or a commencement date for a rental agreement or alternative accommodation)
Other ongoing assistance may be available for people who are in temporary accommodation for an extended period. This includes:
Applicants must meet all the qualifications for these forms of assistance.
When considering eligibility to the Accommodation Supplement for a period of temporary accommodation their home is not considered as a realisable asset (e.g. they are moving back into the damaged property once it is repaired). Neither is the net equity in their damaged home to be considered as the value of the damaged home is likely to be uncertain.
