Discretionary Housing Payment and Council Tax Support Hardship Relief Form

Discretionary Housing Payment

If you get Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction but still cannot pay your accommodation costs, you may be able to get help through our Discretionary Housing Payment scheme (DHP).

A DHP can help people with housing costs, including those affected by:

• the benefit cap which restricts the amount of Benefits a person can receive
•  removal of the spare room subsidy in the social rented sector
• Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates which restrict the rental cost used to calculate benefit to the local market rent

You may get a DHP to cover housing costs for:

• a rent shortfall
• rent deposits
• rent in advance if you need to move home

Council Tax Support Hardship Relief

You can apply for a Council Tax Support hardship payment if you get Council Tax Support and you’re facing exceptional financial hardship.

To apply you must:

•  be registered as the person liable for Council Tax
•  be currently getting Council Tax Support
•  be willing to make payments towards your Council Tax
•  be actively taking steps to deal with your financial hardship, where possible
•  have checked whether you are entitled to a Council Tax Discount

Apply online

To apply for Discretionary Housing Payment or Council Tax Support Hardship Relief complete the form in the link below and send it to benefits@welhat.gov.uk along with:

• a copy of your tenancy
• evidence of your rent arrears showing how they have accumulated
• your last two months bank statements for all your accounts to confirm expenditure
• evidence of any debts such as credit card statement, loan statement utility bills with arrears
• most up to date award letter of Universal Credit showing all elements of the Universal Credit and all deductions
• proof of eviction notice if applicable

Start the Discretionary Housing Payment and Council Tax Support Hardship Relief application