Discretionary Housing Payment (DHPs)

If you receive Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, including housing costs, and it does not meet the full amount of your rent, you can apply for Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs). These payments are to help residents in extremely difficult financial circumstances with:

• rent shortfalls
• rent in advance/rental deposits
• housing needs related lump sums, such as removal costs

To apply you will need to give a full breakdown of all income and expenditure and provide recent bank statements before we will consider it. As there is a limited local fund from which to issue any DHP payments, you will also be required to explain the steps you are taking, or will take, to fund the shortfall yourself.

Examples a DHP payment could be used for:

• If the rules say your home is too big for you but you have a good reason for needing the extra bedrooms
• If you can't move to somewhere smaller or less expensive because someone in your family has serious health problems
• If you can't move to somewhere smaller or less expensive and your current tenancy is at risk because you can't afford to pay the difference between your benefit and your rent
• If your home has been adapted for you or a member of your family

Examples a DHP payment cannot be used for:

• Council Tax.
• If you are receiving Universal Credit but don’t get the housing costs element.
• For water, meals, fuel or other ineligible service charges included in your rent.
• To cover any shortfall in Housing Benefit that occurs due to an overpayment being recovered.
• To pay a rent that is clearly excessive.
• Certain sanctions and reductions in benefit e.g. to a sanction applied by the Department for Work and Pensions in relation to seeking employment or a counter fraud punishment.

Please ensure that you check your eligibility prior to completing the application form:
Discretionary Housing Payment Scheme (DHP) - Policy Statement (see page 9/Part 4, for detailed eligibility information)

All awards are made in line with Council policy and the Department of Work and Pensions Discretionary Housing Payment guidance

Apply online for Discretionary Housing Payment via your 'My Eastleigh' account (log in required) or using the printable form provided below.

Download Discretionary Housing Payment Document.
Please contact us if you require a hard copy form.

Please note: Discretionary Housing Payments may be given for a limited period. The decision whether to give any additional payments is solely at our discretion - the appeal rights for Housing Benefit do not apply.

We have put together other forms of support for specific groups, financial assistance and support services and discounts