Apply for help to pay your rent
Extra help to pay your housing costs
What you need in order to qualify for extra help
You can only apply for extra help to pay your rent if you are receiving:
- Housing Benefit
- housing costs within your Universal Credit claim
If you receive one of these benefits, you can apply for a discretionary award (also known as a discretionary housing payment).
Help towards paying your rent arrears
To receive help towards your rent arrears you must have been in receipt of housing benefit or receive housing costs within your universal credit claim for the period that the arrears are for.
We can not help for periods where you were not entitled to housing benefit or housing costs within your Universal Credit claim.
If your housing benefit or Universal Credit housing costs entitlement covered your eligible rent in full (for the periods your rent arrears cover) we will not be able to help.
Making an application
Before you start the online form, you will need the following information:
- your National Insurance number
- your Housing Benefit reference number (if you're receiving Housing Benefit)
- your latest Universal Credit award letter (if you're receiving Universal Credit):
- the rent breakdown and personal allowance must be shown
- your income
- your expenses (how you spend your money)
- bank statements for the last 2 months
- medical evidence (if appropriate)
- tenancy
- arrears or debts (and the repayment amounts)
- proof of any action taken against you to recover your debts
- rent statements (from the date your arrears started to now)
- proof of you and your partner's savings:
- all bank or building society statements (for the last 2 months)
- your landlord's bank account details
Submit evidence and apply online
We cannot process your application or provide any additional help until we've received all the evidence we require.
If you do not give us all the evidence we require, your application will be closed.
If your application is successful, you will receive extra money towards your rent.
View the discretionary housing payments policy (PDF, 180KB).
If you're at risk of homelessness
We have a duty to pass your details onto our Homeless and Debt Advice Team if you apply for help and:
- tell us you can't afford to pay your rent
- have increasing rent arrears that mean you're at risk of homelessness within 56 days
They will contact you to carry out a housing assessment.
Alternatively, you can contact the team directly by emailing [email protected].