Discretionary Housing Payments are extra payments if you need help with rent or housing costs.
You must get either
Housing Benefit or the housing element of
Universal Credit to be eligible.
Discretionary Housing Payments can be used to help with:
Rent shortfalls
There are many reasons why your Housing Benefit or housing element of Universal Credit may be less than your rent. These are the main types of shortfall Discretionary Housing Payments can cover:
- Social Size Criteria (also known as the ‘under-occupancy charge’ or ‘bedroom tax’)
- non-dependant deduction – you have an adult living with you who is not a partner, joint tenant or boarder
- a change to your household
- benefit cap
- Local Housing Allowance – you are only entitled to the rate for a shared room or the maximum rate for 4 bedrooms
- any other reason – for example, your income is too high to be entitled to full help with your rent
Rent arrears
If you are being evicted for rent arrears and have (or had) a shortfall in your rent, a one-off or backdated payment can be made to clear or reduce the arrears.
If you apply for Discretionary Housing Payments for rent arrears, you need to:
- show you have exceptional circumstances which explain why you need to remain in the property
- show that you cannot afford the arrears yourself
- provide proof of your rent arrears from the time they built up (unless you are a council tenant)
You will not qualify for Discretionary Housing Payments if you were getting enough Housing Benefit or Universal Credit to cover all of your rent at the time the arrears built up.
Rent deposit, bond or rent in advance
If you need help to move because you are at risk of being made homeless or you have found somewhere more suitable, you may be able to get a Discretionary Housing Payment to cover the rent deposit, bond or rent in advance to help you secure the tenancy.
You can only apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment if:
-
Leeds Housing Options are unable to help, and
- you are not eligible for a
Department for Work and Pensions budgeting loan, and
- you are currently living in a property covered within the Leeds City Council, and
- you are in receipt of Housing Benefit or the housing allowance element of Universal Credit at your current address (If you are living with parents or have no fixed abode, you are not eligible), and
- you cannot afford to pay the rent deposit, bond or rent in advance yourself (If you have savings or paid a rent deposit or bond at your current address, you can use this to secure the new tenancy), and
- you have found new accommodation that is suitable for your needs and is at a more reasonable or affordable rent level similar to Local Housing Allowance rates, and
- you have not already signed the tenancy agreement or moved into the new property, and
- the amount you are requesting is reasonable
Please note:
- we cannot help with both the rent deposit (bond) and rent in advance payments for the same property. We can only help with one. If more than one is required, you must show you have secured the other yourself.
- council and Housing Associations should not be asking for rent deposits (bonds) or rent in advance to help secure a tenancy
- if a Discretionary Housing Payment is awarded for rent in advance, you must repay it to us when you get your Housing Benefit or housing element of Universal Credit payment. Otherwise, you will have received help for the same period twice
- Discretionary Housing Payments cannot cover administration costs
If you meet this criteria, we will contact you for proof of the rent deposit (bond) or rent in advance required.
If an award is made, payments will be made to the new landlord straight into their bank account.
If you are given a Discretionary Housing Payment, you must
tell us about your change of address and give us a copy of your new tenancy agreement.
What Discretionary Housing Payments cannot be used for
You cannot apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment for help with:
- council tax. However, you may be eligible for Council Tax Support and can
apply online
- service charges not covered by Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit (gas, electric, water, meals)
- increases in rent due to outstanding rent arrears
- reduced income caused by sanctions or reductions
- a shortfall in your Housing Benefit due to repaying overpaid Housing Benefit
- extra payments you are making to clear rent arrears
- a notice period if you have had to move properties at short notice and you get Housing Benefit – call us on 0113 222 4404 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) to find out if you could be eligible to claim Housing Benefit on two homes. However, you can apply for Discretionary Housing Payments for this purpose if you receive the housing element of Universal Credit. This is because Universal Credit does not cover rent on two homes.
- administration costs associated with securing a new tenancy
- mortgage costs
Before you apply
If you can, try to:
If you are in receipt of Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support,
let us know if your circumstances change, as this could affect how much money you receive. If you are overpaid, you will have to pay this money back to us.
If you are in receipt of Universal Credit, you also need to update your Universal Credit journal with any changes to your household or rent before you apply.
How to apply
You will need:
- your National Insurance Number
- your Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support reference number (if you have one)
- a copy of your Universal Credit award letter, if you get Universal Credit
- details of your income and expenses
- details of any arrears or debts you have and the repayment amounts
- details of anyone who lives with you, including their income
- your bank details
- the landlord's bank details and details of the new property, if you are applying for a rent deposit, bond or rent in advance
We recommend that you complete the form in one go.
Please include your mobile number and email address on the form so that we can contact you if we need to or refer you to other services within the council for further financial help.
If you need to provide any proofs, you can email
LBS.Distribution@leeds.gov.uk with any documents or photos of documents.
You must put your full name, address and DIS reference (given to you when you apply online) on anything you email to us. If you have a 9 digit benefit claim number (starts with digits 10) also include this.
Apply for a Discretionary Housing PaymentExternal link
Apply by post
If you are unable to use the online form, please complete a paper form and return it, along with copies of any proofs, to any
Community hub.
Decision making
All applications for a Discretionary Housing Payment will normally be subject to an income and expenditure review.
Discretionary Housing Payment will not normally be considered where:
- suitable alternative more affordable housing is an option
- alternative income sources are available. This will include unclaimed benefits, income from other adults living in the household, and savings
- alternative options exist. This includes having scope to reduce debt repayments or costs on non-essential items
Appeal a decision we have made
If you disagree with our decision not to give you Discretionary Housing Payments, the amount we have decided to give you or how long we will pay you, you can ask us to look at the decision again.
Write to us within one calendar month of the date of the decision letter, telling us why you do not agree with our decision.
You should include any additional information that you think may be relevant that was not included in your original request. This is important because if there are no new factors to consider, then the decision is unlikely to be changed.
Your case will be reviewed by another officer who will then make a final decision. After this, you have no further right of appeal.
You can also
read our Discretionary Housing Payments policy.
