OUR DISCRETIONARY HOUSING PAYMENT FUND IS NOW CLOSED DUE TO FUNDS BEING EXHAUSTED.
From 1 April 2026, Discretionary Housing Payment will be replaced by the Housing Payment strand of the Crisis and Resilience Fund.
If you have been awarded housing benefit or Universal Credit with housing costs towards your rent but the award is less than your eligible rent and you are finding it difficult to make up the shortfall, you may be entitled to some extra help.
Housing payments are an extra award of financial help that can be awarded for a short period to help you out of a difficult financial situation.
Eligibility
The Housing Payment provides financial support towards housing costs and is paid by an Authority when they are satisfied that an applicant requires further financial assistance with housing costs.
A Housing Payment can help you with:
- Rental deposits and rent in advance
- Costs associated with securing housing or downsizing (such as removal expenses or tenancy setup)
- Shortfalls between housing support and actual rent, including those caused by:
- The benefit cap
- Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy (RSRS)
- Local Housing Allowance (LHA)
A Housing Payment cannot help you with:
- Sanctions and reductions in benefit as specified under regulations 100 to 114 of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013 or due to a breach of a community service order
- Shortfall caused by HB or UC overpayment recovery
- Benefit suspensions where there is doubt about entitlement or because a claimant has failed to supply information pertinent to their claim as specified in section 21, 22 or 24 of the Social Security Act 1998 or section 68 of, and paragraphs 13 and 14 of Schedule 7 to, the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000
- Ineligible Servies charges e.g. heating, water rates, personal charges
- Increases in rent due to outstanding rent arrears.
The amount awarded is entirely at the discretion of the council following the guidelines within the Strand of the Crisis and Resilience fund.
Change of circumstances
Applicants must notify the Authority of any changes which may be relevant to the Housing Payment application or award. Please report any change in your circumstances
to havant.benefits@secure.capita.co.uk
Apply for a Housing Payment
If you wish to be considered for a Housing Payment, please complete the following form:
To support your application, we will also require the following information:
- Identity proof for all members of your household. This should include their full name, date of birth and National Insurance number for anyone aged 16 and over
- Rent statement, showing all transactions for the last six months
- Full breakdown of your Universal Credit for the last three months
- Bank statements confirming all transactions for the last 2 months for all accounts held
- If an application is being made for rent arrears, please advise of the period that that the arrears accrued, and proof of your income at the time
- A contact telephone number.
Please email supporting document to: havant.benefits@secure.capita.co.uk