Guidance
Applying for a Discretionary Housing Payment
Factsheet explaining what Discretionary Housing Payments are, who can claim them and how to apply.
Applies to England and Wales
Documents
Details
This factsheet is for councils to give to claimants. Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) provide extra money when a council decides that someone needs extra help to meet their housing costs. The factsheet explains:
- who can apply for a DHP
- how they can use their payment
- how they can make a claim for DHP
Updates to this page
Published 7 January 2014
Last updated 1423 AprilJanuary 2022
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Update history
2026-01-23 12:14
A new section has been added to provide clearer guidance for Scotland. Northern Ireland DHP link also supplied
2022-04-14 12:47
Updated the eligibility conditions to clarify that you must be getting Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit to be eligible for a Discretionary Housing Payment.
Details
This factsheet is for councils to give to claimants. Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) provide extra money when a council decides that someone needs extra help to meet their housing costs. The factsheet explains:
- who can apply for a DHP
- how they can use their payment
- how they can make a claim for DHP
Updates to this page
Published 7 January 2014
Last updated 1423 AprilJanuary 2022
+ show2026
href="#full-history">+ show all updates
-
Update history
2026-01-23 12:14
A new section has been added to provide clearer guidance for Scotland. Northern Ireland DHP link also supplied
2022-04-14 12:47
Updated the eligibility conditions to clarify that you must be getting Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit to be eligible for a Discretionary Housing Payment.
Details
This factsheet is for councils to give to claimants. Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) provide extra money when a council decides that someone needs extra help to meet their housing costs. The factsheet explains:
- who can apply for a DHP
- how they can use their payment
- how they can make a claim for DHP
Updates to this page
Published 7 January 2014
Last updated Update history
2026-01-23 12:14
A new section has been added to provide clearer guidance for Scotland. Northern Ireland DHP link also supplied
2022-04-14 12:47
Updated the eligibility conditions to clarify that you must be getting Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit to be eligible for a Discretionary Housing Payment.