Discretionary Housing Payments
What are Discretionary Housing Payments?
The Discretionary Housing Payments scheme was introduced on 2 July 2001. The scheme helps people who because of special circumstances need extra financial help with their rent and Council Tax in cases where Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit does not meet the full value of their rent or Council Tax.
When we can make a Discretionary Housing Payment
We can only make a Discretionary Housing Payment if we believe that the applicant's circumstances calls for further financial help in order to meet housing costs. These payments are entirely discretionary and each case is assessed on its individual merits. Both finances and personal circumstances of the applicant are carefully considered and taken into account.
Examples of circumstances when a Discretionary Housing Payment may be awarded are:
If you are having extra expenses due to special circumstances such as someone being ill or in hospital.
If your Housing/Council Tax Benefit has been reduced because you have been in hospital for more than 52 weeks.
If there are special reasons why you need to stay in a particular property, but the Rent Officer has restricted the amount of rent we use in the calculation.
If your Council Tax Benefit has been restricted to Band E.
The above list only provides examples and does not cover all the circumstances in which a Discretionary Housing Payment is awarded.
When we can't make a Discretionary Housing Payment
You can't get this extra help:
For water, meals, fuel or other ineligible service charges included in your rent; or
To cover any shortfall in Housing Benefit that occurs due to an overpayment being recovered; or
To pay a rent that is clearly excessive.
How are Discretionary Housing Payments paid?
Any Discretionary Housing Payment awarded for Council Tax liability will be awarded direct to your Council Tax account.
Any Discretionary Housing Payment awarded for eligible rental charges will be paid along with your award of Housing Benefit either to you or direct to your Landlord.
How to apply for Discretionary Housing Payment
If you think that you need this extra help you should write to us giving us as much information as possible to help us understand why your circumstances are special. All the information you give is confidential and we will only use if to see if we can give you extra help.
Your can write to us at:
Liverpool City Council
Benefits Service
PO Box 13
Liverpool
L69 2JG
or
E-mail: benefits.service@liverpool.gov.uk
If we need any extra information to make a decision, we will write to you.
After your application
If we decided that we can make a discretionary Housing Payment we will write to tell you how much you will be paid and for how long.
If we decide that we can't make a Discretionary Housing Payment we will write and tell you the reasons for our decision. If you do not agree with our decision you can write to us and ask us to look at the decision again
Information
If you need more information you can download our Discretionary Housing Benefit ![(PDF [143.2Kb] opens in new window)](/images/PDF.gif)
leaflet.
View our full range of benefit leaflets
Contact us
You can contact us in several ways:
Post
Liverpool City Council
Benefits Service
PO Box 13
Liverpool
L69 2JG
Telephone
0151 233 3009 (24hours)
Fax
0151 225 2145
Email
benefits.service@liverpool.gov.uk
In person
You can visit us at any of our one stop shops.
Appointments are required for all Revenue and Benefit enquiries. The last appointment is half an hour before closing.
Facilities
Facilities are available for the hearing impaired, including miniloop and staff trained in British sign language.
If English is not your first language we will arrange for a translation into another language.