If welfare income is sanctioned due to fraud, what amount should the owner count?

The correct answer is to count the actual amount the resident is receiving. This is important because even if a resident's welfare income has been sanctioned due to fraud, the owner must evaluate the current financial situation based on what the resident is legitimately receiving at that time.

In practice, this means that if a resident is sanctioned and the welfare benefits they previously received are reduced or eliminated, only the benefits that they are currently receiving (if any) should be included in their income calculation. This ensures that assessments relate to actual income levels reflective of the resident's present circumstances rather than potential benefits they might have qualified for before sanctions.

Counting the actual amount protects the integrity of the housing assistance program and ensures that residents are not penalized further by being held accountable for income that is no longer available to them due to reasons outside of their control. This practice aligns with regulatory guidelines that require property owners to consider current, verifiable sources of income when evaluating residents.