A discretionary housing payment can be paid if the council believes that a tenant needs further help with housing costs. This may include help with paying off arrears in some circumstances, although not if the tenant was receiving enough housing benefit to pay all rent at the time the arrears built up.
Each housing benefit department is given a pot of money and they are allowed to decide who should be given the payments.
The housing benefit department will usually take into account any special circumstances that contribute to financial difficulties, for example, if a tenant :
has to pay child maintenance
has to pay legal costs
has extra heating costs because they spend a lot of time at home
because they are sick or have a disability
has additional travel costs because of travel to a doctor or hospital or cares for a relative or friend.
Discretionary Housing Payment is only available on application to the local authority.
Each housing benefit department is given a pot of money and they are allowed to decide who should be given the payments.
The housing benefit department will usually take into account any special circumstances that contribute to financial difficulties, for example, if a tenant :
has to pay child maintenance
has to pay legal costs
has extra heating costs because they spend a lot of time at home
because they are sick or have a disability
has additional travel costs because of travel to a doctor or hospital or cares for a relative or friend.
Discretionary Housing Payment is only available on application to the local authority.
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