Discretionary Housing Payments

What are Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP)?

The Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) scheme allows the Council to pay people in receipt of Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit an additional sum if it is satisfied that a person needs additional help with their housing costs and that it is reasonable to make a payment.

The Government strictly limits the money the Council is able to spend on this scheme. This means that the payments must, in effect, be rationed and it is therefore unlikely that any payment will meet any shortfall in your housing costs in full or continue for an indefinite period.

How do I claim a DHP?

You must complete an application form to claim a DHP. You can either:

It is important that you provide as much information as possible when you make your claim. If you do not, we may have to refuse to make an award.

How will I be paid?

DHPs are usually paid as an addition to your regular Housing Benefit payments although we will occasionally make a single one-off payment where this is appropriate.

DHP awards are usually only made for a limited period. This is to give you time to find suitable cheaper accommodation or to find another way of meeting your housing costs. We will tell you how long any award is for when we write to you to tell you about your application.

It is unlikely that any award will cover all of the shortfall. We generally expect people who are awarded a DHP to pay at least £5.00 a week towards the difference between their housing costs and their total benefit entitlement.

Contact Us

Please contact us the Revenues and Benefits Service if you have any queries.

If you are a Council Tenant, you can also contact:

Housing Advice Unit

Housing Services

Cedar Wood House
2d Fulbourne Road
Walthamstow  E17 4GG  (map)

Tel 020 8496 3000
Fax 020 8496 5431
Email housing.advice@walthamforest.gov.uk