Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP)

What are Discretionary Housing Payments?

Discretionary Housing Payments are payments made to give you additional help with your rent or Council Tax. The Government strictly limits the amount that we can pay each year.

When can Discretionary Housing Payments be made?

Discretionary Housing Payments can be made: -

• Where the benefit officer considers that you need additional help with your rent and/or council tax and
• You are already receiving some Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit - this means that you must already be entitled to some benefit before Discretionary Housing Payments can be paid

Discretionary Housing Payments cannot be made: -

• to help with your utility bills, for example water rates, fuel bills and so on
• if the limit set by the Government is reached

What should I do if I need additional help with my rent or Council Tax?

You will need to apply for Discretionary Housing Payments by completing an application form. These forms are available from the Benefits Office.

What happens then?

We will look at the details you have given us on the application form. We will write to you if we need any further information or if we need to visit you. If you have given us details about your health or the health of anyone in your household we will ask you to provide a letter from your doctor only if the details you have given us will influence our decision whether to make Discretionary Housing Payments or not.

If we decide that we cannot make you an award of Discretionary Housing Payment we will write and explain our decision to you.

If we decide that we can award you a Discretionary Housing Payment it will be paid for a set period depending on the reason for the award. The amount we award may also be reduced or stopped if your circumstances change or if the level the Government has set has been reached. We will write and tell you how much you will be paid and for how long.

What if I am unhappy about the decision on my application for Discretionary Housing Payments?

You cannot appeal against our decision not to award a Discretionary Housing Payment. You can, however, write and ask us to look at it again or alternatively you can take your case to Judicial Review.