If you are in receipt of Housing Benefit or Universal Credit housing costs element, but you are still struggling to pay your rent, you may be eligible to apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment.
The funding is allocated by the Government at the start of each financial year and is a strictly limited fund. For this reason, we will ask for full details to be provided on your application form to confirm steps you have taken to meet the shortfall in your rent prior to applying to this funding. This will include engagement with your housing officer and/or support agencies.
Discretionary Housing Payments are:
- awarded for a limited period and should not be viewed as a permanent long-term solution.
- paid if you can show you need additional help with your housing costs, subject to funding being available.
- considered individually based on circumstances.
If our funding allocation is spent in full before the end of the 2023/24 financial year, we will not be able to accept any further applications until April 2024. Should this occur, we will notify potential applicants via our website.
Our cost of living page has lots of information about current funding and help.