Central Bedfordshire Council

www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

Housing Benefit / Universal Credit

Discretionary Housing Payment guidance

What is a Discretionary Housing Payment?

If you currently receive Housing Benefit, or the housing element of Universal Credit, but still have a

shortfall to pay and this causes you hardship, you may be able to get extra help.

Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) are payments to help with housing costs. Housing costs

generally means rent.

or the housing element of Universal Credit.

This means that you cannot get any help to pay your rent, rent deposits, rent in advance and

moving costs if you do not already get Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit.

We cannot help with some parts of your rent, for instance if meals, heating, hot water or water

rates are included.

Discretionary Housing Payments cannot help with Council Tax. If you need help with your Council

Tax please call us on 0300 300 8306.

How to apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment

If you want to apply for extra help please fill out the application attached. The form will allow you to

write down the reasons why you think you need extra help.

Leighton Buzzard (Monday, Wednesday & Thursdays only)

Bossard House, West Street, Leighton Buzzard, Beds, LU7 1DA

Shefford

Priory House, Monks Walk, Chicksands, Shefford, Beds, SG17 5TQ

Examples of who we want to help

The following are examples of the categories of people the Council wants to help:

 People where they or a member of their household is disabled, they have more bedrooms

than Housing Benefit ,or Universal Credit allows and

o Their home has been adapted for their disablement needs or

o Due to the nature of their disability they cannot share a bedroom or

 Families with children at a critical point in their education

 Young people leaving local authority care

 Staying Put Carers with children in care and care leavers respectively

 Families with kinship care arrangements

 Families with a child in temporary care who is expected to return home

 Families with a social service intervention or are part of a Supporting Families Programme

 Where someone in the household is expecting a baby/to adopt a child and this future

change will increase the level of bedrooms Housing Benefit or Universal Credit allows

 Ex-homeless people being supported to settle in the community

 People threatened with homelessness

 Elderly and frail people who have lived in their home for a long time and would find it

difficult to establish support networks in a new area

 People who live near their jobs because they work unsocial hours/split shifts/inadequate

public transport

 People who as a consequence of a move have additional travel to work costs

 People who need to move to cheaper/smaller accommodation and need help with a rent

deposit and/or rent in advance for their new home or lump sum costs associated with the

move i.e. removals

 People who are affected by reductions in Housing Benefit entitlement following changes to

Local Housing Allowance rates from April 2011 and need additional time to find cheaper

 People, who are not in the aforementioned, however have special circumstances that are

such that warrants DHP

Central Bedfordshire Council

www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

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Housing Benefit / Universal Credit

Discretionary Housing Payment application

Customer Accounts

Central Bedfordshire Council

Watling House

High Street North

Dunstable

Bedfordshire

Section 1 – About you

First name

Surname

Address

Postcode:

National Insurance number

Daytime telephone

Mobile telephone

Email address

Are you receiving / have

your:

(Please tick all that apply)

☐Rent

☐Rent deposit

☐Rent in advance

☐Overlap of tenancy

☐Moving Costs

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Section 2 – Reasons for application

If you are applying for help with your rent, how long do you anticipate you will need Discretionary

cheaper/smaller accommodation and continue on a separate piece of paper if needed.

If you need help for a rent deposit, rent in advance, overlap of tenancy or moving costs, please

explain what you need and why.

 You may find it helpful to look at the list of examples under the section Examples of who we

want to help, in the guidance at the beginning of this form.

 Please give us as much information as possible and continue on a separate piece of paper if

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Section 3 – Additional information

Do you have rent or

☐Yes – please tell us how much below.

☐No

Rent arrears: £

have asked your landlord

to help you move into a

property with fewer

bedrooms.

☐Yes – please give details below.

☐No

Have you sought any

housing advice from the

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Section 3 – Additional information (continued)

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Section 4 – Financial Assessment

If you have expensive or excessive costs / outgoings, that make it difficult to manage your money,

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Section 5 – Rent information for Universal Credit claimants

Address

Postcode:

Daytime telephone

How much rent are you

charged, and how often?

£ every

Does your rent include

For example, water rates,

heating, etc.

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Section 5 – Rent information for Universal Credit claimants (continued)

Is there any food or meals

☐Yes – please give details below.

☐No

above?

☐Yes – please give details below.

☐No

Section 6 – Declaration

I understand the following:

 I declare that the information I have given on this form is correct and complete as far as I

know and believe.

 I understand that if I knowingly give information that is incorrect or incomplete, I may be liable

to prosecution or other action.

private-sector companies such as banks and organisations that may lend me mon

allows this.

 I know that I must let the Council’s Customer Accounts section know straight away in writing

about any change in my circumstances, or the circumstances of anyone living with me, which

might affect my claim.

Name (print name)

Date

completing the form

Name (print name)

Date

Relationship to applicant