Guidance

Applying for a Discretionary Housing Payment

Factsheet explaining what Discretionary Housing Payments are, who can claim them and how to apply.

Documents

Details

This factsheet is for councils to give to claimants. Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) provide extra money when a council decides that someone needs extra help to meet their housing costs. The factsheet explains:

  • who can apply for a DHP
  • how they can use their payment
  • how they can make a claim for DHP
Published 7 January 2014
Last updated 14 April 2022 + show all updates
  1. Updated the eligibility conditions to clarify that you must be getting Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit to be eligible for a Discretionary Housing Payment.

  2. Edited English and Welsh guidance to clarify eligibility criteria and how to apply.

  3. Amended RTF to include Universal Credit information. Adding PDF and Welsh versions at a later date.

  4. First published.