Health, Well-being and Care

Discretionary Housing Payments are payments that the Council may be able to make to give you further assistance towards your housing costs.

To qualify for Discretionary Housing Payments you must:

• Be in receipt of Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit

And

• Require further assistance in order to meet your housing costs.

There is no list covering every situation that will be allowed a Discretionary Housing Payment. Each application will be considered according to its own merits.

Below are some examples of when a Discretionary Housing Payment may be made:

• A pregnant woman, close to the due date, moves into a home more suitable for herself and child. The rent is restricted by the Rent Officer because the property is considered too large for one person until the child is born.
• A disabled person lives in a ground floor flat near to a clinic they attend for therapy. They could get a cheaper flat, but it would mean higher transport costs they can't afford.
• A family has a child who is undergoing prolonged hospital treatment. The family used to live some miles away from the hospital but have moved nearer so that the child can be visited.

How do I claim Discretionary Housing Payments?

You will need to fill in a Discretionary Housing Payments application form or alternatively you can contact the Benefits Service at one of our enquiry offices.