A Guide to Discretionary Housing Payments

Discretionary Housing Payments are payments that the Council may be able to make to give you further assistance towards your housing costs, where your costs are not already met in full by benefit. To qualify for a Discretionary Housing Payment you must be in receipt of some Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit and need further help to meet your costs.

Discretionary Housing Payments are not payments of Housing or Council Tax Benefits but are payments made from a separate fund of money, allocated each year to individual Councils by the Government. The Council is not allowed to spend more than their 'permitted total'. There are no prescribed rules for awarding a Discretionary Housing payment. Each application is looked at on its own merits. For this reason we need to ask questions about your household, your rent, your income and outgoings.

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

• A pregnant woman moves into a home that will be suitable for her and her baby (when born). The Rent officer restricts the rent because the property is considered to be too large for one person prior to the birth of the baby.

• 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 not suit their needs and it would mean higher transport costs that they cannot afford.

• A claimant's partner has died within the last twelve months resulting in reduced income.

Wyre Forest District Council has a policy to make Discretionary Housing payments for a maximum period of 13 weeks at a time.

In order to claim a Discretionary Housing Payment you will need to fill in a Discretionary Housing Payments application form or contact Worcestershire Hub on 01562 732928.

You may be asked to attend an interview.