Discretionary Housing Payment

Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) provide financial support towards housing costs and are paid when we are satisfied that you need further financial assistance with housing costs and are in receipt of either:

• Housing Benefit
• Universal Credit with housing costs towards rental liability

• shortfalls between Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit and actual eligible rental costs, for example, where benefit cap, Local Housing Allowance restrictions or Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy (RSRS) deductions are applied
• a rental deposit, rent in advance, or costs associated with taking up a new tenancy for example, removal costs

DHPs cannot cover:

• ineligible service charges included within your rent for water rates, gas, electricity or food
• where your landlord has put your rent up because you have rent arrears
• where your Housing Benefit is being reduced because you owe money for an earlier overpayment
• where you have reduced entitlement because you have not gone to an interview set up by the Department for Work and Pensions, or you have committed benefit fraud in the past

DHP is an award, not a benefit payment. For ongoing rental liability the awards are usually only made for a short time and are not a long-term solution, giving you time to sort out your financial or housing circumstances, particularly if you’re trying to find alternative affordable accommodation.

The DHP fund has a limited budget. If you apply for a DHP and it meets the criteria, your claim will be considered on its merits, and everyone is treated equally and fairly. We cannot exceed the budget and may not be able to help in every case.

Where there are exceptional circumstances, we may consider giving a longer award, for example to someone who lives in significantly adapted accommodation in the social rented sector and is subject to a reduction for under-occupancy.

How DHPs for ongoing rental liability are calculated

You will need to demonstrate that you are unable to meet your housing costs from your available income.

When considering your application for a DHP, we will look closely at all your income and outgoings and any savings you may have but will also consider the following:

• if you could afford the rent when your tenancy started
• when your tenancy is due to end
• if there are things that could change soon which would mean you have more income
• if there are health issues for you or a member of your household which mean that you need to stay in the home you live in
• whether you would be able to agree a lower rent with your landlord
• if you can reduce non-essential expenditure
• what other debts you have and whether you have tried to get help to clear these
• if you can agree to make lower repayments for some of the other debts you have, such as credit cards or store cards
• what else you are doing to try to help you pay your rent or Council Tax
• if there is any other income or benefits you could get to help you pay your rent or Council Tax
• if there are other members of your household who could help you pay the rent

If we decide to pay you a DHP, we will write to tell you how much we will be paying and for how long.

Further information is available in our Discretionary Housing Payment leaflet.

Discretionary Housing Payment leaflet

DHP for rent deposits, rent in advance and removal costs

Housing costs usually refers to rental liability, but can also be rent in advance, deposits and removal costs. If you are looking to move because you are either facing or are at risk of homelessness, there are grants and assistance for tenants.

If you are unable to raise the money to find private rented accommodation before applying for a DHP, you should first contact our housing team to ask about their schemes, which will include guidance on whether you can be considered for BCP Home Choice and the registration process.

Our housing team will ask for your bank statements, proof of your income and savings to decide how much help you need and whether you can afford the property you have found.

They may also talk to your landlord. If you are not entitled to a housing grant, they may help you with a repayable loan for a deposit or rent in advance but pay this to your landlord.

They will help you to complete your DHP form to consider whether you can be granted an award. If a DHP is made, it will be paid to housing services to clear your re-payable loan.

A DHP can only be awarded for a rent deposit or rent in advance for a property that you have yet to move into and you are already entitled to Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit at your current home within Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole.

If you want to claim a rent in advance or deposit, then to support your application you should provide a copy of your tenancy agreement highlighting where it advises you of the amount(s) you must pay.

If you disagree with our decision

The DHP scheme is wholly discretionary on the local authority to administer. Our officers therefore must decide the cases and circumstances where extra help can be given.

There is no right of appeal to a Social Security Tribunal. However, we have a procedure that allows decisions to be reconsidered where a claimant asks for this service.

The review of the decision is carried out by other council officers not involved in the original decision. You should write to us within 1 calendar month of the date on the decision letter, explaining why you disagree.

More information can be found in the policy document.

Discretionary Housing Payment policy