Discretionary Housing Payments

Extra help if you are not getting full benefit

If you are getting some Housing Benefit, Local Housing Allowance (LHA) and/or Council Tax benefit, you may be able to get extra help if you are having difficulty paying the rest of your rent or Council Tax yourself.

You can't get this help if you don't already get some benefit.

You will need to show us that you need this help by completing a form that shows your income and outgoings.

Some things can't be covered by discretionary housing payments, such as:

• ineligible service charges -this means things like fuel, hot water, lighting or meals
• charges for water or sewerage
• any shortfall between second adult rebate and your Council Tax charge
• any reduction or loss of benefit due to a Jobseekers Allowance sanction
• an increase in rent due to you paying extra for rent arrears on top of your normal rent

The Government only allows us a limited annual amount to spend on this scheme, so not all applications will be successful.

Any extra help given may not be for the full difference between your benefit and your rent or Council Tax and may only be paid for a short period of time.

Discretionary Payments are not actually benefit payments, although any extra money awarded will be paid in with your Housing Benefit, LHA and/or Council Tax benefit.

If you disagree with the decision that we make, you can ask for it to be looked at again, but there is no right of appeal to the Appeals Service.

If you have a change in circumstances and your normal award of benefit alters, we will look at your Discretionary Housing Payment award at the same time. If it changes, we will write and let you know why.

If you need any further information or a form to apply for Discretionary Payments, please contact the Benefits Team.

You can also download a claim form by following the link below.