Discretionary Housing Payments are awarded at our discretion and money available for this is limited. This means that awards are usually only made for short periods and are only given in cases of extreme financial hardship.
Awards will usually only be made if there is evidence to show that:
- you are suffering severe financial hardship and finding it difficult to meet your essential living expenses such as rent, Council Tax, food and utility bills
- you or your family have exceptional circumstances, for example, you have a severe illness or disability that prevents you from moving to cheaper accommodation, you are fleeing violence at home, and your family home is at risk because of severe levels of debt
You cannot get Discretionary Housing Payments if your rent shortfall is due to a benefit overpayment or suspension.
You can also apply for a single Discretionary Housing Payment to help you meet the cost of moving to alternative accommodation.
You can claim this if you meet all of the following:
- you are currently in receipt of Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit
- you have insufficient income or capital to meet your moving costs
- your Housing Benefit or housing element of Universal Credit are currently being restricted and you are moving to somewhere more affordable or you are moving to accommodation that is more suitable for your needs
All cases are looked at individually.
A decision will be made, and you will be notified in writing. If the application is successful, details of how you will receive the payment will be included in your award letter.