Housing payments from your council to help with rent

You could get extra help with rent or other housing costs if you get:

• universal credit

• housing benefit

You do not have to pay housing payments back. They do not affect your other benefits.

Housing payments were known as discretionary housing payments (DHPs). They are now part of the crisis and resilience fund (CRF).

Which costs do housing payments help with?

You could get help with:

• rent not covered by your benefits

• rent increases

• rent arrears

You can only get help with rent arrears if your benefits did not cover your rent when you missed the payments.

Help with the cost of moving home

You could get help with:

• a tenancy deposit

• rent in advance

• removal costs

The money might be paid direct to a private landlord or removal company.

When you cannot get housing payments

Housing payments cannot help with:

• debt repayments

• benefit sanctions

• paying back a benefit overpayment

• service charges that are not covered by benefits

How to apply for housing payments

You can apply for housing payments from your council.

Your council could also help with council tax support or a crisis payment.

Our tool helps you with:

• your council's phone number

• links to the schemes in your area

• contact details for the right team at your council

How to fill in the housing payment form

Most councils have an online form to fill in.

You need to tell your council about your income and spending.

Your council looks at this information to decide if you can get housing payments.

If your benefits do not cover your rent

Tell your council why. For example, because of:

• the bedroom tax

• the benefit cap

• your local housing allowance (LHA) rate

In many private tenancies your LHA rate will not cover your full rent.

If you have rent arrears

Tell your council if you are at risk of eviction. For example, if:

• you get a notice from your landlord

• your landlord asks a court to evict you

If you get disability or carer benefits

These benefits can make it look as if you have enough money for rent.

Your council can count these benefits as part of your income. But they should look at your personal situation.

For example, if you use disability benefits for taxis because you cannot get the bus.

If you are in temporary housing

You might have higher spending in temporary housing if, for example:

• you do not have a kitchen

• your children have to travel a long way to get to school

Tell your council about these higher costs when they look at your application.

How long does a housing payment take?

It might take a few weeks for the council to deal with your application.

Give your council the information they ask for to help make things quicker.

Tell your landlord you have applied if you miss a rent payment or cannot afford an increase.

Your council should email or write to you when they decide if you can get housing payments.

How much is a housing payment?

Your council decides how much you get.

You could get enough money to make up your whole rent.

You might just get part of what you need.

You usually get the housing payment each month if you pay your rent monthly.

If you rent from the council, your housing payment usually goes straight to your rent account.

How long do housing payments last?

Your council should tell you how long the payments last.

For example, your council might give you housing payments for 3 months to help with a rent increase. After that, they might expect you to find somewhere cheaper to live.

You might get housing payments for a longer time. For example, if:

• payments help you to stay in your home with disability adaptations

• you are on a waiting list for a smaller home because of the bedroom tax

What if your housing payments stop?

Contact your council if your payments stop and you still need help.

Your council should tell you why the payments have stopped. For example, if they think your situation has changed.

What if your application is refused?

Your council should tell you:

• why housing payments have been refused

• how and when to ask for a review

Ask for a review

Try to give more supporting information. For example:

• a statement showing your income and spending

• a letter from a doctor that explains why someone you live with needs their own bedroom

Ask your council for their housing payments policy. Check they have followed their policy.

Get help from a local councillor

A local councillor could:

• check the policy

• help challenge the decision

Some councillors run advice sessions.

Make a complaint

You can complain if, for example:

• the decision is not fair

• the council did not help you with the form

• they took too long to deal with your application

• they did not tell you why you could not have housing payments

• they did not tell you how to ask for a review

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) can look at your complaint if you are not happy with your council's response.

This is a free independent service.

A complaint to the ombudsman can take a few months.