Further Information

This page provides further information about Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs), how long a claim can take to process, if your claim can be backdated and how we look at income and childcare costs when looking at a claim.

Discretionary Housing Payments

DHPs are not payments of benefit but a payment made in addition to Housing or Council Tax Benefit when it appears to the Local Authority that the claimant may need some further financial assistance in order to meet housing costs.

There is a limited amount of money that Local Authorities have to use for DHPs and as the payments are discretionary each case is looked at individually. 

We will look at things like your financial circumstances including income, outgoings and savings and the shortfall between your Housing or Council Tax Benefit and the amount you have to pay.

• We need to know about any special circumstances such as medical problems which need consideration.
• We also need look at how much is in the fund when we consider your application.
• You can find further information on our Discretionary Housing Payments page.

Please download a Discretionary Housing Payment application form (PDF, 83KB)

Please download a Discretionary Housing Payment leaflet (PDF, 548KB)

How Long Will My Claim Take?

We try hard to deal with your claim as soon as possible. 

You can help us to process your claim quickly by providing all of the relevant information required right at the beginning. 

We have a facility called Fast Track which will give you a list of items you will need to provide to us with your claim, if you can do this then we will aim to complete your claim within a maximum of 5 working days of receiving it. 

All of our benefit advisors will be able to help you with this or help you with the relevant information regarding making a Fast Track claim. 

Please contact us if you are experiencing difficulties due to delays in dealing with your claim.

Can My Claim Be Backdated?

If you qualify for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit we will normally pay your benefit from the Monday following the date of first contact from you, as long as we receive your claim form within one calendar month from this date. 

It is important you get your claim form to us as soon as possible or you may miss out on benefit.

If you are of working age (up to 60 for women and 65 for men) you may be able to apply for backdating up to a maximum of 6 months.

If you are pensionable age (over 60) then backdating is reduced to a maximum of 3 months.

You must put this in writing to us and you must show continuous good cause. 

This might be because you were ill and no one else was able to claim on your behalf or you were unable to manage your own affairs and you didn’t have an appointee.

The good cause shown must also be continuous, this means that, for example, if you were ill and unable to claim, as soon as you were well again you would have to claim straight away otherwise we would be unable to backdate.

Each case will be looked at based on its individual circumstances. 

If we decide not to backdate your claim, or if you don’t agree with the date we backdate it to, then you have the right to appeal against our decision.

For more information on Backdating please down load the Backdating Leaflet (PDF, 314KB) 

How Will You Treat My Earnings?

When we look at your income, we will look at all the money that you have coming in from earnings.  This will also include any tips or bonuses, overtime, money you get instead of your normal pay or money you get from holidays you did not take. 

We will then deduct any Tax, National Insurance and half of any money paid towards a private or occupational pension from this. 

We will also deduct the following from your earnings:

• If you are single, the first £5.00.
• If you are a couple, the first £10.00.
• If you are disabled or a carer, the first £20.00.
• If you are a single parent, the first £25.00

If you are self-employed you will need to complete a Self-Employed Earnings Information form (PDF, 43KB).

What if I have Childcare Costs?

You may be entitled to more Housing and Council Tax Benefit if you pay the extra cost of childcare.  You may qualify for extra help if you are a couple and both of you work 16 hours of more, a couple where one is working 16 hours or more and the other partner is considered to be incapable of work a lone parent who works 16 hours or more.

The child must be with a registered child-minder, or be in a childminding scheme for which registrations is not required, or any other out-of-school-hours scheme provided by a school or local authority.

If your child care falls into one of the above groups then the money you pay can be deducted from your earnings, of up to £175.00 per week for the first child and up to a maximum of £300 per week for 2 or more children. 

This disregard is in addition to the other earnings disregards. 

This help may continue up to the first Monday in September after the child’s 15th Birthday. 

More information on childcare is available from the Family Information Service. You can also download our Child Care costs for (PDF, 36KB) to be completed by the child care provider.