Discretionary Housing Payment - Can I get a Discretionary Housing Payment?

A Discretionary Housing Payment is for people in need of extra financial assistance on top of their Housing Benefit.

You must be entitled to Housing Benefit or the Housing Costs element of Universal Credit to apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment.

It is available to people who are not receiving enough to cover their rent. There can be several reasons for this, for example:

• Your Local Housing Allowance is lower than your rent in private rented property.

• Your Housing Benefit or Universal Credit is reduced because of non-dependant deductions/housing costs contributions.

• Your Housing Benefit or Universal Credit is reduced because you are working age and it has been decided that you have a spare bedroom in social rented property (bedroom tax).

• Your Housing Benefit or Universal Credit is reduced due to the Benefit Cap.

A Discretionary Housing Payment is also available for one-off costs like a rent deposit, rent in advance or removal costs to help you move into a new home.

Discretionary Housing Payments cannot be used to cover an increase in rent due to arrears or to make up the difference if an overpayment is being recovered from your Housing Benefit. It also can't help to cover certain sanctions or reductions in benefit.

Your local authority will decide how to treat any income or other resources you have.