The Single Discretionary Award Scheme is a service that brings together a set of other payments for people who are suffering financial hardship and need urgent financial support, such as food vouchers and/or utility top ups.
One element of the award is Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) which are a way of helping you if the Housing Benefit or Housing Costs you get is not enough to pay your rent. If you are on Housing Benefit or Universal Credit but still find yourself struggling to pay your rent, you may be entitled to a DHP award.
Applications will consider a number of elements such as the cost of your rent, your circumstances, debts and other expenditure. There is no fixed amount that will be issued should your application be approved but each case is treated on its own merits with an award based on needs.
The Discretionary Housing Payment Fund is usually meant to help with short term emergencies. You may not get as much as you need to pay your full rent or the award may not be for as long as you would like. There is also no guarantee that another award will be made at a later date even if your circumstances have not changed.
When you make an application, we may assess your need for other support services. Where we identify a need for support we will make referrals to our partners to provide that support.
Councillor Nicola Roulstone, Cabinet Member for Finance said:
This support is there for you and there to be used. If you are struggling but unsure then please do make an application.
So many people have been impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic in so many different ways and find themselves struggling through no fault of their own. This fund is there to help and ease some of that financial burden.