Discretionary Housing Payments

You may be entitled to receive extra help with a Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP).

DHPs are available if your Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit is less than the full amount of your rent or Council Tax.

DHPs do not cover the cost of things included in your rent (like fuel, water or food).

Eligibility

If you get Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit or both you can claim a DHP to help pay your rent or council tax.

But we must be satisfied that you need more help with your housing costs.

We look at things like:

• Your total income
• Whether you have any savings
• Whether anyone else in the house is able to help financially
• Whether you have any loans or debts still to pay
• Whether you could rearrange your finances to ease the situation
• Whether you or your family have any special circumstances, like ill health or disability

We ask you to give us a lot of information, and if we need more we’ll write to you for it.

We might also ask you to call in to see us if we need to discuss your claim in more detail.

Apply

Contact the Benefits Service to find out what you need to do.

How much can you get and for how long?

How much you get depends on your circumstances; each case is looked at individually.

DHPs can be paid for different periods of time.

How is the DHP paid?

The DHP is paid with any Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit that you get.

Appeal a decision

If you disagree with a decision, you should write to the Benefits Service within one month of the date of the letter telling you about the DHP .

Your application will be looked at again, and you will recieve a letter with the decision.

Change of circumstances

If your circumstances change, you must tell the Benefits Service in writing.

Your DHP will be looked at again, and may be changed.

You might be eligible for more DHP, but if you are eligible for less you might have to pay back some or all of the DHP.

Further advice

• Contact the Benefits Service
• http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/