1. A list of all the RSL's (Registered Social Landlords) - CICs (Community Interest Company's) - Charities and social enterprises that are registered with the councils housing dept. and have an active Landlord code to accommodate social HMO's 'Exempt' accommodation status.
• A2 Dominion
• Ability Housing Association
• Advance Housing & Support Ltd
• B.W.A
• Dimensions UK Ltd
• Encircle Housing Association
• Finefair Housing Association
• Hope and Vision
• Home Group
• Housing Solutions
• Loddon Homes
• London & Quadrant Housing Trust
• Norwood
• Radian
• Sovereign
• Space Supported Housing Ltd
• Transform Housing & Support Ltd
• Yeldall

2. In addition to a full list with contact details held on your system of All the companies that deal with 'Exempt' accommodation directly with the council.
As a benefits department we deal with enquiries from any company that wishes to discuss exempt accommodation. No list is made of these organisations. It is likely that enquiries may have been dealt with by the benefits department from the Landlords listed above.

3. Please advise the application process for a private landlord to directly submit a property for supported housing exempt status.
There is no process for a landlord to submit a property for supported housing exempt accommodation. The ‘title’ of supported and exempt accommodation actually relates to the claim as a whole not the property. As such no final decision could be made until an application form for Housing Benefits is received and all the relevant supporting documentation is reviewed. As a department we receive and respond to enquiries about new projects and provide feedback, however, no final decision can be made until an application form is received. Any enquiries can be sent to Benefits@wokingham.gov.uk

4. Please provide confirmation that the Council are accepting exempt accommodation applications directly from landlords and also please advise the average timescales in which applications are completed.
A claim for Housing Benefit that needs to be considered as supported exempt accommodation has to be made by the claimant not by the Landlord. If the claimant does not have capacity to claim, the application would need to be made by someone who can make a claim on behalf of someone else;
• A receiver or deputy
• An attorney
• A person appointed by the DWP to act on the claimant’s behalf
If none of these are in place, someone would need to act as an appointee. This would mean that someone agrees to accept all the rights and responsibilities that would normally belong to the claimant. Once the claim is received a decision will be made. The current average speed of processing for new claim is 9 days. This time is subject to all information being received in a timely manner to make a decision. As stated above enquiries can be made to benefits@wokingham.gov.uk before an application is made so advice can be given to speed up the process.
An application for Housing Benefit can be made via the council’s website.

5. If the council does not permit applications directly from landlords for exempt status then please provide a list of the organisations on your platform that allow private landlords to use their company as a referral.
Please see above explanations.

6. Pease provide a suitable contact name, email address and organisation chart to help attain an understanding of the exempt accommodation team and it's escalation points.
Any enquiry can be made directly to benefits@wokingham.go.uk and an application for Housing benefit can be made via the council website.
Once a claim for Housing Benefit is received its eligibility will be assessed under the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006. If the evidence provided supports a decision that the claim should be treated as supported an exempt the relevant regulations will be applied when calculating entitlement. If the decision is made that this status does not apply a reconsideration can be requested. This request should be made to the benefits department. If the reconsideration does not change the decision, a request can be made to formally appeal the decision. This would mean that the decision would be referred to The Tribunal service to review. The process of appealing any Housing Benefit decision is set out in the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (Decisions and Appeals) Regulations 2001.

7. With regards to HMO exempt accommodation provided by private landlords (NOT RSL's), please provide visibility of the lowest, average and highest core rent currently paid and the lowest, average and highest eligible housing benefit service charges, complete with full itemisation/breakdown of all line items.
Please see attached spreadsheet.

8. Please provide How many private rental properties in the council’s jurisdiction have 'exempt accommodation' status?
We currently have 30 claims that have the status supported and exempt accommodation. These claims are at 11 different properties.