Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP)

Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) is a payment which is made in addition to Housing Benefit, if we are able to determine that additional help towards the cost of your rent is needed. It is paid from a limited government fund, where your current benefit award does not fully cover your rent.

• Do you receive housing benefit to help you pay your rent?
• Is the amount you receive not enough to cover your rent?
• Do you struggle to keep up with the extra payments you must make to stay out of rent arrears?

If you answered yes to all these questions then a Discretionary Housing Payment may be able to help you. You can apply if you are affected by the Benefit Cap, or if you receive Universal Credit (housing element). You can also apply if you need help with the rent deposit on a new home, or the costs of moving to an affordable home. 

Payments are to help with a short term problem and if granted will be for a fixed time period. 

How to apply

You can apply online. 

Apply for discretionary housing payment

Discretionary Housing Payments are made at our discretion. There are no rules that give anyone the right to receive a payment and each application will be considered on its own merits.

You will need to demonstrate you do not have the means to pay the shortfall in your rent and you have not intentionally taken on a tenancy that you knew you could not afford. In order for the award to be considered we may need to ask you for some additional information, which some people may find to be intrusive. However it is important to remember that we will only ask for information that is necessary to help us to make a decision on your application.

The length of time that an award will be made for will vary depending on the individual circumstances of the person applying, however it will only be for a short period of time, to give you the opportunity to make alternative arrangements to cover the shortfall in your rent.

Other ways to apply for Discretionary Housing Payments

You can contact us about Discretionary Housing Payments by: 

• telephone: 01623 457400