What is DHP?

DHP can help if your rent isn't covered by your Housing Benefit award or housing costs award through Universal Credit. You need to:

  • Be receiving Housing Benefit or Universal Credit with housing costs
  • Have a shortfall between that award and your rent

What can I get help with?

DHP can help with a shortfall in rent to:

  • Size criteria (often known as "bedroom tax")
  • Local Housing Allowance (LHA) restrictions
  • Benefit Cap
  • How your income is assessed

DHP can also help with other shortfalls, or if you need support to move. If you are not sure about whether DHP can help then contact us.

We can't help with shortfalls in rent due to:

  • Repayment of rent arrears
  • Repayment of overpayments
  • Sanctions

How do I apply?

You can also pick up an application from your local Advice and Support Hub.

What happens next?

DHP funds are limited, unless you are affected by size criteria. We'll usually make a short award to help you while:

  • You try to find a more affordable place to live
  • You look for work, or try to increase the hours you work
  • You deal with debts

We can sometimes make longer term awards if we think there are exceptional circumstances. This may be where we think it's not reasonable to expect you to take the above steps.

DHP is not the same as a Housing Benefit or Universal Credit payment, and there is no statutory appeals process. If you don't agree with our decision, you can ask us to look at it again. Details of how you can do this will be on your decision notice.


Supporting documents

Submit any documents you have been asked to supply using our online form.

You can currently use the form to submit documents for the following services:

  • Housing Benefit
  • Council Tax
  • Free School Meals and School Clothing Grants
  • Education Maintenance Allowance


Other support