Discretionary Housing Payments

Discretionary Housing Payments help people who need extra help with their rent and Council Tax when Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit do not meet the full value of their rent or Council Tax.

When we can make a payment

We can only make a Discretionary Housing Payment if we believe that the person's circumstances call for further financial help. Each case is assessed on its individual merits. The finances and personal circumstances of the applicant are carefully considered and taken into account.

Examples of circumstances when a Discretionary Housing Payment may be awarded are:

• If you have extra expenses due to special circumstances, such as someone being ill or in hospital.
• If your Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit has been reduced because you have been in hospital for more than 52 weeks.
• If there are special reasons why you need to stay in a particular property, but the Rent Officer has restricted the amount of rent we use in the calculation.
• If your Council Tax Benefit has been restricted to Band E.

The above list only provides examples and does not cover all the circumstances in which a Discretionary Housing Payment is awarded.

When we can't make a payment

This extra payment is not available for the following purposes:

• For water, meals, fuel or other ineligible service charges included in your rent.
• To cover any shortfall in Housing Benefit that occurs due to an overpayment being recovered.
• To pay a rent that is clearly excessive.

How are payments made?

• Any Discretionary Housing Payment awarded for Council Tax liability will be awarded direct to your Council Tax account.
• Any Discretionary Housing Payment awarded for eligible rental charges will be paid along with your award of Housing Benefit either to you or direct to your Landlord.

How to apply for a payment

If you think that you need this extra help, you need to complete a Discretionary Housing Payment application form and send it to the address below giving us as much information as possible to help us understand why your circumstances are special.

You can also hand in completed applications to any of our One Stop Shops. All the information you give is confidential and we will only use it to see if we can give you extra help.

Benefits Service
Liverpool City Council
PO Box 13
Liverpool
L69 2JG
E-mail: benefits.service@liverpool.gov.uk

After your application

If we decide that we can make a payment, we will write to tell you how much you will be paid and for how long.

If we decide that we can't make a payment, we will write and tell you the reasons for our decision.  If you do not agree with our decision you can write to us and ask us to look at the decision again.