Housing payments

Housing Payments are extra financial help for residents who receive Housing Benefit or the Universal Credit housing element but still don’t have enough to cover their rent. They are not guaranteed and depend on individual circumstances and available funding.

Housing Payments can: 

• Help cover rent shortfalls 
• Help with rent deposits or rent in advance to move into a new home 
• Prevent residents from becoming homeless 
• Support people with health needs, disabilities, or other vulnerabilities 

Who can apply?

You must:

• Receive Housing Benefit or the housing costs part of Universal Credit 
• Have a rent shortfall you cannot manage, or need help moving to affordable accommodation

Who gets priority?

You may be prioritised if you are:

• Affected by welfare reforms (local housing allowance rates, benefit cap, bedroom tax)
• A person with a disability or long term health condition, especially in an adapted home
• At risk of homelessness
• A young person leaving care, survivor of domestic abuse, or someone with safeguarding concerns
• Trying to move into affordable private rented accommodation

What Housing Payments CAN help with

• Rent shortfalls after Housing Benefit/UC is paid
• Rent deposits or rent in advance (if the accommodation is safe and affordable)
• Temporary two home situations (case by case)
• Shortfalls caused by welfare changes when you are working on a solution

What they CANNOT help with

• If you are not receiving HB or UC housing costs • Ineligible service charges (e.g., fuel, water rates)
• Long term help where there is no plan to improve affordability
• Deposits for homes that are unsafe or unaffordable
• Paying back deposits already paid by someone else
• Shortfalls caused by not passing on money already paid for rent

View the full housing payment policy.