Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP)

What is a Discretionary Housing Payment? (DHP)

A Discretionary Housing Payment can provide extra money to help you meet your housing costs.

Funding for DHPs comes from central government and is limited each year, so when it has been spent no more awards can be made.

Payments are short term and we will need to know that you are looking for help to manage your money and prioritise your rent.

If you are eligible, we will look to decide whether to award a payment, how much you can get, and for how long.

We will take into account any special circumstances that contribute to your financial difficulties. For example, if:

• You have to pay child maintenance.
• You have to pay legal costs.
• Your heating costs are high as you spend a lot of time at home.
• You are likely to become homeless.
• You have additional travel costs because you have to travel to a Dr or hospital or care for a relative or friend.

Who can claim a Discretionary Housing Payment?

Anyone who needs financial help with housing costs and is currently claiming either:

• Housing Benefit or
• Universal Credit that includes an award for housing costs

What can I use a Discretionary Housing Payment to pay for?

• Rent deposits.
• Rent in advance.
• Moving costs.
• Rent arrears (but not if you were receiving enough housing benefit to pay all of your rent at the time the arrears built up).
• A shortfall between housing benefit and rent or housing costs included in Universal Credit and rent.

How do I make a claim?

Discretionary Housing Payments can be applied for directly from us and return to benefits@e-lindsey.gov.uk.

Download the form in the related documents section below.

You cannot get a Discretionary Housing Payment to help pay council tax. We have a Council Tax Support scheme which you may be eligible for instead.