Housing Payments

What are Housing Payments?

Housing Payments are funded by the Crisis and Resilience Fund which is grant funding provided to Local Authorities from the UK Government. 

Housing Payments can provide financial support towards housing costs and are paid by the Local Authority when they are satisfied that an applicant requires further financial assistance. 

The Council’s funding for Housing Payments is limited. The payments are discretionary and can only be granted when certain criteria and eligibility are met.

Who can apply?

These payments can be made to applicants who are entitled to either:  

• Housing Benefit, or
• Universal Credit with housing costs towards rental liability. This includes Shared Ownership properties which carry a rental liability. 

And require support with (but not limited to):

• rent deposits and rent in advance  
• lump sum costs associated with a housing need such as removal costs  
• reductions in Housing Benefit or Universal Credit Housing Costs where the benefit cap has been applied   
• reductions in Housing Benefit or Universal Credit Housing Costs for under-occupation in the social rented sector   
• reductions in Housing Benefit or Universal Credit Housing Costs as a result of Local Housing Allowance restrictions
• rent officer restrictions such as local reference rent or shared room rate  

Housing payments funding may be used for shortfalls between housing support and actual rent.

Claimants must be able to evidence that they require further assistance with housing costs. 

What a Housing Payment cannot cover

There are certain elements of a claimant’s rent that cannot be included in housing costs for the purposes of a Housing Payment.

These include:

• ineligible service charges
• increases in rent due to outstanding rent arrears
• certain sanctions and reductions in benefit
• shortfalls caused by Housing Benefit or Universal Credit overpayment recovery
• benefit suspensions where there is doubt about entitlement or because a claimant has failed to supply information pertinent to their claim

How to apply

You should complete the online application form.

Please give as much information as possible about your circumstances and why you need additional help with your housing costs.

How long can we pay a Housing Payment for?

Awards are discretionary and are usually for a short period of time to enable the customer to seek further help to improve financial wellbeing and resilience.

How much will be awarded?

Awards are discretionary and each application for a Housing Payment will be looked at individually. The level of the award must not exceed the weekly or monthly eligible rent on the home.

The customer’s overall financial and personal circumstances will be taken into consideration when making an award

How a Housing Payment is paid

Payment of an award of Housing Payment for a shortfall in your rent may be made at the same time as a payment of Housing Benefit.  If you are in receipt of Universal Credit the payment may be different to the date of your Universal Credit payment.   

A Housing Payment can be paid to you, or in some circumstances, your landlord, agent or an appointee. This is subject to any appropriate considerations of fraud risk.    

I’m unhappy with the outcome of my application

If you are unhappy with a decision that has been made with regard to a Housing Payment application, you can ask us to look at it again.

You must put the reasons why you are unhappy with the decision in writing to us. We will consider your reasons and will either tell you that

• we agree with you and have changed our decision; or
• that we are unable to change our decision

There is no right of appeal against a decision regarding a Housing Payment.

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