Discretionary Housing Payment - How much Discretionary Housing Payment will I get?
Discretionary Housing Payment is a extra payment which can help towards housing costs.
- Last reviewed 01 November 2023
How much Discretionary Housing Payment will I get?
Your local authority will decide whether to award a Discretionary Housing Payment, how much to award, and for how long.
The amount you get could cover all or part of your shortfall in rent or the costs of taking up a tenancy.
Benefit Cap
A Discretionary Housing Payment is not included in the Benefit Cap which limits the total amount in some benefits that working-age people can receive.
See our Benefit Cap guide for more details.
How will I be paid a Discretionary Housing Payment?
The payment could be made to you or direct to your landlord.
There is no limit to length of time over which Discretionary Housing Payments can be made. It could be a one-off or an indefinite award.
Discretionary Housing Payments and other benefits
Discretionary Housing Payments do not count as income or capital when calculating your entitlement to Eligibility depends on the amount of income and capital you have. See full definition or Tax Credits.
Was this page helpful?
Tell us the problem
*Required
Thank you
Thank you for your feedback. If you would like to tell us more, please visit our contact us page.
Check benefit entitlement
Find out what means-tested benefits you might be entitled to, including tax credits.
Grants Search
Search our database of grant-giving organisations.