Discretionary Housing Payment · UK guide

Benefits not covering the rent? Your council can top it up.

Last verified 12 Jul 2026 · Sources GOV.UK Crisis and Resilience Fund guidance for local authorities in England (1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2029) + Housing Benefit subsidy circulars

The one-line answer: in England this help is now called a Housing Payment (part of the Crisis and Resilience Fund) — same help, same rules, new name since 1 April 2026. In Scotland and Wales it is still called a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP). Either way, it is extra money from your council when Housing Benefit or your Universal Credit housing element doesn’t cover the rent — a rent shortfall, a deposit, or rent in advance if you need to move. Councils hold a budget for this. If you don't ask, you don't get.

ShortfallsGap between benefit + rent
Deposits+ rent in advance to move
Your councilDecides amount + length
New name in EnglandHousing Payment (from Apr 2026)
How to apply → Other tenant rights

England: the DHP is now a Housing Payment

What changed on 1 April 2026 In England, Discretionary Housing Payments ended on 31 March 2026. From 1 April 2026 exactly the same help is delivered as the Housing Payment strand of the Crisis and Resilience Fund (which runs to 31 March 2029). This is a rename and a fold-in — not a cut. The qualifying criteria are the same, your council still decides whether to award it and how much, and councils were told to maintain their existing spending levels in the first two years, using their previous DHP allocations as the guide.

So if you were told to “apply for a DHP” and your council’s website now says Housing Payment — that is the right thing. And if your council still calls it a Discretionary Housing Payment (many do, because the forms haven’t been renamed), that is also the right thing. Search your council’s site for either term.

  • England — now the Housing Payment strand of the Crisis and Resilience Fund. Same rules as the old DHP.
  • Scotland — still a Discretionary Housing Payment, unchanged.
  • Wales — still a Discretionary Housing Payment, unchanged.
  • Northern Ireland — a separate system; see nidirect and the Housing Executive.

Amounts are discretionary and set locally — there is no fixed national figure. Your council decides the award and how long it runs, based on your circumstances.

Who can apply

The criteria are the same whether your council calls it a Housing Payment (England) or a Discretionary Housing Payment (Scotland, Wales, and many English council forms). You can apply if you currently get either:

  • Housing Benefit, or
  • the housing element of Universal Credit — and you need more help with housing costs.

DHPs are commonly awarded to people affected by:

  • The benefit cap reducing your housing support.
  • The removal of the spare room subsidy ("bedroom tax") in social housing.
  • Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates that don't stretch to local rents.

What it covers — and what it can't

Can cover

  • A rent shortfall — the gap between your benefit and your actual rent.
  • Rent deposits.
  • Rent in advance if you need to move home.

Cannot cover

  • Council tax — even if you get Local Council Tax Support. For that, apply for Council Tax Reduction separately (plus a Section 13A discretionary reduction in hardship).

How to apply

Claim it now — free
How to claim a DHP — GOV.UK → 📞 Citizens Advice 0800 144 8848

Have ready: your rent, your Housing Benefit / UC housing element, the monthly gap, and an honest budget of income and outgoings — you apply through your own council’s form, whether it is labelled Housing Payment or Discretionary Housing Payment.

  1. Find your council’s form — search your council’s website for “Housing Payment” or “Discretionary Housing Payment”. Many English councils still use the old DHP label even though the fund was renamed in April 2026, so try both. In Scotland and Wales, search for “Discretionary Housing Payment”. Not sure which council covers you? Use GOV.UK’s find-your-local-council tool or our local finder. Each council runs its own process.
  2. Show the shortfall clearly — your rent, your Housing Benefit / UC housing element, and the gap per month.
  3. Explain your circumstances — disability, children settled in school, caring responsibilities, risk of eviction or homelessness, why moving somewhere cheaper isn't realistic right now.
  4. Include income and outgoings — an honest budget helps the council see the pressure.

The council decides whether to pay, how much, and for how long — awards are often time-limited (for example a few months) to bridge you to a more stable position, and you can reapply.

If you're refused There's no formal tribunal appeal for DHPs because they're discretionary — but you can ask the council to look again, and a fresh application with new or stronger evidence is always allowed. Citizens Advice can help you strengthen it.

If you're at risk of losing your home

Act now — don't wait for an eviction notice If arrears are building or a section 21/section 8 notice has landed, get free expert help today: Shelter 0808 800 4444 and Citizens Advice 0800 144 8848. Councils also have a legal homelessness prevention duty — you can ask for help before you're homeless, and a DHP is one of the tools they can use to keep you housed.

Free UK support

  • GOV.UK — Crisis and Resilience Fund guidance (England) and Discretionary Housing Payment guidance.
  • Shelter — 0808 800 4444. Housing advice + eviction help.
  • Citizens Advice — 0800 144 8848. Help applying + a full benefits check.
  • StepChange — 0800 138 1111. Free debt advice if arrears are building.

Where you live — what it's called

England

DHPs ended on 31 March 2026. Since 1 April 2026 the same help is the Housing Payment strand of the Crisis and Resilience Fund (running to 31 March 2029). Same qualifying rules, same council decision, and councils were asked to keep spending at existing levels. Apply through your council — look for "Housing Payment" or "Discretionary Housing Payment".

Scotland

Still a Discretionary Housing Payment, unchanged — apply through your council (guidance on mygov.scot). Scottish DHP funding for 2026/27 was increased for households hit by the benefit cap, and in Scotland DHPs are used to fully mitigate the bedroom tax, so if the spare-room deduction is cutting your housing support, apply.

Wales

Still a Discretionary Housing Payment, unchanged — apply through your council (guidance on gov.wales). Welsh Government funding for DHPs continues for the year to March 2027.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland runs a separate housing support system. Start with nidirect and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, and get free help from Citizens Advice or Housing Rights.

Source verification Primary sources: GOV.UK — Crisis and Resilience Fund: guidance for local authorities in England (1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029), which confirms the Housing Payment strand replaced Discretionary Housing Payments in England from 1 April 2026 on the same qualifying criteria, with councils asked to maintain existing spending levels · GOV.UK Housing Benefit subsidy circulars (S2/2026; S6/2025 for Welsh DHP funding) · GOV.UK — Claiming Discretionary Housing Payments · mygov.scot for Scotland. Last verified 12 July 2026. Confidence: High on the England rename, the 1 April 2026 date, the unchanged criteria and the Scotland/Wales position. Qualitative by design: award amounts — they are discretionary and set locally, so no national figure is stated; Northern Ireland is a separate system and is signposted rather than described. Key caveat: discretionary — the council decides whether, how much and for how long, and there is no tribunal appeal. Many councils still label their form "Discretionary Housing Payment", so search for either name.

Also see: Rent increases — your rights under the new rules

Discretionary Housing Payment — common questions

Is the DHP still available in 2026?

Yes — the help still exists. In England, DHPs ended on 31 March 2026 and the same help became the Housing Payment strand of the Crisis and Resilience Fund from 1 April 2026 (running to March 2029). It is a rename, not a cut: the criteria are the same and councils were told to keep spending at existing levels. In Scotland and Wales it is still called a Discretionary Housing Payment.

What is it?

Extra money from your council when Housing Benefit or your UC housing element doesn’t cover the rent — for shortfalls, deposits and rent in advance. Discretionary: the council decides whether, how much, and how long. Amounts are set locally, so there is no national figure.

Who can get one?

Anyone currently on Housing Benefit or the UC housing element who needs more help — especially people hit by the benefit cap, the bedroom tax, or LHA rates below local rents. England's April 2026 rename did not change who qualifies.

What can it cover?

Rent shortfalls, rent deposits, and rent in advance for a move. It cannot cover council tax — apply for Council Tax Reduction separately.

How do I apply?

Through your council’s own form — search their site for “Housing Payment” or “Discretionary Housing Payment” (many councils still use the old label). Show the exact shortfall, your budget, and the circumstances that make moving or managing impossible right now. If refused, ask for a review or reapply with stronger evidence.

What if it's refused or not enough?

Run a full benefits check, apply for Council Tax Reduction, ask about the council's crisis support, and if your home is at risk call Shelter 0808 800 4444 — councils have a homelessness prevention duty before you're evicted.

Sources: Crisis and Resilience Fund: guidance for local authorities in England (1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029) · GOV.UK (the Housing Payment strand replaced DHPs in England from 1 Apr 2026 on the same criteria). Housing Benefit subsidy circulars S2/2026 and S6/2025 · GOV.UK / DWP. Claiming Discretionary Housing Payments · GOV.UK / DWP (eligibility, covered costs, council-tax exclusion, apply via your council). Scotland · mygov.scot Discretionary Housing Payment (still a DHP; bedroom tax fully mitigated). Wales · gov.wales Discretionary Housing Payments (still a DHP). NI · nidirect / NIHE. Free help: Shelter 0808 800 4444 · Citizens Advice 0800 144 8848 · StepChange 0800 138 1111. Last reviewed: 12 July 2026.

Rent shortfall building? Apply this week.

Councils hold a budget for exactly this — shortfalls, deposits, rent in advance. Search your council for “Housing Payment” or “Discretionary Housing Payment”, show the gap, explain the circumstances, and ask. If your home is at risk, Shelter (0808 800 4444) is free today.

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