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Discretionary Housing Payments

What are Discretionary Housing Payments?

Discretionary Housing Payments are made by the Council to help people in need or further assistance with their rent and council tax. They are separate to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit but you must be entitled to one of these benefits to be considered for a Discretionary Housing Payment.

How do I get Discretionary Housing Payments?

To be considered for a Discretionary Housing Payment you must complete a form available from the Benefit Section.

What will I need to tell you?

When you complete the form we will need to know why you think you should get an additional payment towards your rent or Council Tax payments, what your circumstances are, any action you have taken to help yourself and anything else you think may help us make a decision. You should supply as much detail as possible so that we fully understand your situation.

You will also need to tell us all the money you have coming into your household and provide evidence of all the money you pay out each week (for example your gas bill or electric bill) and your last four months bank statements. You application may be held up if you do not supply evidence of your expenditure or your bank statements.

When you have completed and returned your form, we will consider all aspects of your circumstances before a decision is made. We may wish to visit you in your home or ask you to come into the Council offices to discuss you application further.

How will the Benefit Section make a decision about Discretionary Housing Payments?

We will consider all requests for Discretionary Housing Payments.

There is no list of circumstances that will automatically mean that you will qualify for a payment of Discretionary Housing Payments. Each request will be considered on its own merits but you will need to demonstrate that you do not have the means to pay the shortfall in your rent or council tax yourself. Wherever it is possible and reasonable to do so, you will be expected to take steps to improve the circumstances that have led to the need for a discretionary payment e.g. finding more affordable accommodation.

Can I claim Discretionary Housing Payments to cover all my housing costs?

Discretionary Housing Payments cannot be awarded towards any of the following:

• Ineligible service or support charges
• Any rent you have to pay if you only qualify for Council Tax Benefit
• Any Council Tax you have to pay if you only qualify for Housing Benefit or Second Adult Rebate
• Increases in your rent to cover rent arrears
• Reductions in any benefit as a result of Child Support
• Amounts of Housing or Council Tax Benefit that have been suspended

How much money can I get?

Discretionary Housing Payments will be paid at the discretion of the Council, but they will not be greater than your weekly rent or Council Tax liability. So if your eligible rent is for example £50.00 per week and your entitlement to Housing Benefit is £45.00 the maximum Discretionary Housing Payment you can get is £5.00 per week.

The money we get to pay Discretionary Housing Payments comes directly from Central Government and is strictly limited for each year. So each Discretionary Housing Payment will be short-term help for a limited period only.

If a Discretionary Housing Payment is awarded, it will usually last for a specified period of time (possibly 3 or 6 months at the most), then it will end.

If you are awarded a Discretionary Housing Payment and we later find out you should not have been entitled to it, we will ask you to return the money.

What if you turn my request down?

If your application for Discretionary Housing Payments is turned down, we will look at the decision again if you write to us within a month of the date we notified you of our decision.