What is discretionary housing payment?
A discretionary housing payment can be paid to you if:
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you already get housing benefit, and
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there is a shortfall between your benefit and your rent charge which you have to pay yourself, and
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you are having difficulty paying the shortfall
Who can get a discretionary housing payment?
There are no rules, other than the ones above, about who can get discretionary housing payments. Each benefit department is given a pot of money from the government and they are allowed to decide who should be given the payments.
The benefit department will usually take into account any special circumstances that contribute to your financial difficulties, for example, if:
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you have to pay child maintenance
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you have to pay legal costs
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you have extra heating costs because you spend a lot of time at home because you are sick or disabled
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you have additional travel costs because you travel to a doctor or hospital or you care for a relative or friend
Where an award of a discretionary housing payment is made, this is usually for a short period to allow time for arrangements to be made to find alternative accommadation, to meet the shortfall yourself or negotiate the level of your rent.
How can I claim?
You need to fill in a claim form which you can download below, or contact us by phone or in person for a form. You may be asked to give evidence of your weekly expenditure such as copies of bills or your bank statements. Please provide as much information about the circumstances which are making things difficult for your financially to help us make a decision.
If I dont get it can I appeal?
No. You can ask the council to have another look at their decision but you do not have the right to appeal against it.
For further information you can download the councils Discretionary Housing Payment Policy
If you wish to claim you can download the Discretionary Housing Payment Application Form