- Description
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We have a cash limited fund to help meet some housing costs. The Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) scheme allows councils the discretion to help people on a low income with their housing costs where Housing Benefit (HB) or Universal Credit (UC)housing element alone does not meet all of their needs.
Housing costs may include:
- Rental liability
- Rent in advance
- Deposits
- Other lump sum costs associated with a housing need such as removal costs
Following the abolition of Council Tax benefit from April 2013, DHPs can no longer be used to assist with Council Tax liability.
A Discretionary Housing Payment is not a payment of Housing Benefit or Universal Credit. A Discretionary Housing Payment can only be awarded where a person is in receipt of Housing Benefit or Universal Credit housing element in the same week that a Discretionary Housing Payment is awarded for.
- Who can claim
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The Discretionary Housing Payment scheme is discretionary and a customer does not have a statutory right to receive an award.
In addition the amount that can be paid out by a council in any financial year is restricted by the Government.
- How to claim
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Appl for a discretionary housing payment
Housing benefit application - additional bedroom for overnight carer
Please visit our contact us page for further contact information.
Visit your nearest Service Point
Upload evidence or other documents online
If you need to submit documents as evidence, you can use our online form to upload photos or scans of your evidence.
- Further information
