How are direct payments applied for and decisions made?
The request should normally be made in writing on a proforma issued by/on behalf of Mendip District Council, but we can also accept a signed letter of request from the claimant, claimant’s representative or the landlord. The landlord or representative must have written authority from the claimant to deal with the request regarding vulnerability or financial difficulties. In some cases we will consider direct payment to landlords without any representation where we think it is in the best interest of the claimant to do so. Any request for direct payment to landlord should be accompanied by as much supporting information/evidence as possible. This makes the decision making process quicker and easier. If the information is insufficient, we will request any outstanding information from the person who made the direct payment application. This request will allow one month for the information to be provided. If a response is not received in time (or an extension of the time limit has not been
