HB Subsidy Audit

The Authority is looking to appoint an auditor registered with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales (ICAEW), to annually undertake the Housing Benefit Subsidy Audit using the DWP methodology.

Background: The Benefits Service is responsible for the administration of £200m of Housing Benefit payments every year. Legislation requires the Local Authority to undergo an annual Housing Benefit Subsidy Audit to provide assurance and accuracy of the Housing Benefit Scheme to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). These audits are carried out on behalf of the DWP by external auditors, which each Local Authority is required to procure.

The Authority's aims and objectives are to:

• appoint auditors who will ensure the Authority's compliance with the Department for Works and Pensions Housing Benefit Assurance Process (HBAP) in accordance with the required timelines.
• appoint registered auditors with experience within the context of the process.
• provide assurance on the quality of decisions made in relation to the administration of benefit claims.
• establish a contract providing efficiency opportunities as it provides assurance that the city council efficiently administers benefits by early identification and resolution of errors thereby maximising the subsidy claim.