Tens of thousands of households can claim £634 rent help with little-known scheme – how to get it

STRUGGLING tenants could help covering rent with a little-known scheme worth £634, on average.

Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) is a pot of money available to help low income households cover their housing costs.

Between March 2023 and March 2024 there were 175,000 households awarded a Discretionary Housing Payment.

The exact amount you get depends on where you live as each local authority dishes out the cash on a case-by-case basis.

But if you are on housing benefits, or receiving the housing element of universal credit, you may be eligible for the support.

How much can I get?

In total last year 175,000 households in the UK received a slice of he £100million available as part of the scheme – making the national average payout £634.

However, unlike benefits, the decision on what is awarded is made by the local authority depending on circumstances.

This means that how much you’ll receive will depend on where you live as well as what the local authority thinks you need – so your payments may be higher, or lower than the average for your area.

In London, the average payout came in at £1,298 – more than twice the national average, though this can reflect the higher cost of housing in the capital.

However in the North-East the average pay out came to £428.

There were 416 awards made in Lewisham worth £2,205, on average, the highest of anywhere in the country.

Outside the capital the largest payment was in Knowsley, Merseyside, typically worth £1,934.

Meanwhile in Dudley 5,189 awards were made and each one was worth an average of £111, the lowest amount.

Liverpool made the most awards of 7,784, averaging at £212, while the fewest were made in Rutland, typically worth £620.

Each local area is given a set pot of cash by the Government, so the more people who apply, the less money can be given out to each person who applies.

Councils keep track of the number of awards made, rather than number of people or households, as they may have received help more than once

What does DHP cover?

DHP is not an additional benefit, but is a one off payment to cover housing expenses for struggling households already receiving state support.

As well as providing one-off payments to cover short term rental costs, it can also be used towards a rent deposit on a new property or even rent in advance.

For those with disabilities, it can also be used to cover the costs of adapting your home to meet your health needs.

The payment does not cover things like bills or council tax on the home you live in.

So how do I apply?

You may be able to get Discretionary Housing Payment in England and Wales if you are entitled to Housing Benefit, or the housing element of Universal Credit.

If you live in Scotland, there is a different scheme with different eligibility criteria

Each local council decides how the application process will work, so you’ll need to contact them directly to see how to apply.