If you need help with paying your rent, or help with rent arrears could help you stay in your home, you might be able to apply for a temporary Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) from the city council.
Last year more than £1.3m was spent supporting households with difficulties paying their rent, including those affected by the ‘Benefit Cap’.
DHPs cannot be spent on the following:
- To pay Council Tax
- If you are receiving Universal Credit but don’t get the housing costs element
- For water rates, meals, fuel or other ineligible service charges included in your rent
- To cover a rent shortfall that occurs due to an overpayment being recovered from you
- To cover a rent shortfall that occurs because your rent has been increased to cover rent arrears
- To cover a rent shortfall that occurs because your Housing Benefit has been suspended
- To cover a rent shortfall that occurs because of a sanction applied by the Department for Work and Pensions
- To cover arrears where Housing Benefit or Housing Costs payments within Universal Credit have already been paid.
However, they can be spent on:
- bonds / rent in advance
- other rent arrears
- other rent shortfalls, and
- removals and storage costs.
Applicants must be residents of Coventry and in receipt of, or entitled to, Housing Benefit or the Housing Element of Universal Credit. Affordability Checks will also need to be made to ensure DHPs are being spent on those who can afford to rent their chosen properties long term.
The application process is online though there is a phone number available to help you make that application.
For more information on DHPs, and how to apply, go to https://www.coventry.gov.uk/benefits-1/discretionary-housing-payments .
To contact the DHP Team call 02476 833773, email DGATeam@coventry.gov.uk , or visit the Council’s Customer Service Centre between 11am and 1pm Monday to Friday at:
3 Upper Precinct
Broadgate
Coventry
CV1 1FS.
Funding for DHPs has been cut by 30% this year. If you need help with paying your rent find out about DHPs as soon as you can.
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