Article: Discretionary Housing Payment Article Body What are discretionary housing payments? Discretionary housing payments (DHPs) are extra payments that can be made to you on top of your housing benefit and council tax benefit to help pay towards your rent and/or council tax where you are having difficulty in meeting the payments. DHP's can be paid if the council thinks you need further help to pay your housing costs. However DHP's are not paid to cover services included in your rent or for a reduction in your benefit due to an overpayment being recovered. Who can apply for a discretionary housing payment? You can apply for help with both your council tax and rent payments but: you must qualify for some housing benefit to get DHP for rent. you must also qualify for some council tax benefit to get DHP for council tax. if your rent or council tax are paid in full by housing benefit and council tax benefit, you cannot get DHP. How do you apply? The discretionary housing payments application form is available by: Downloading a copy of our discretionary housing payments application form Telephoning: 01226 774770 Calling into any Barnsley Connects office You should complete the application form with as much detail as possible to assist us in making our decision. What happens next? When we receive your form we may contact you to discuss your request or to ask you to supply further information. When we have all the information we need your application is considered by a panel of officers who look at your income, your expenditure and your personal circumstances. They also look at whether you have had a previous award, and if you have what action you have taken to improve your financial situation. You will be told by letter if a DHP can be paid. If you are awarded help the letter will tell you how much you will get and how long payments will be made for. The council is only allowed to spend a set amount of money on DHP's each year. If the council reaches the total, no further DHP's can be paid for that financial year. If you disagree with a decision, you can ask the council to review it's decision. If your circumstances change the council will review your DHP award and if an overpayment has been made, recover the amount from you. If you are having problems with paying your rent or your finances we suggest that you always seek advice about this. How discretionary housing payments are paid Discretionary housing payments are paid in the same way as your existing housing and council tax benefits are paid. Application forms Discretionary housing payments application form Legislation The Discretionary Financial Assistance Regulations 2001 Contact details Enquiries and requests for application forms can be made as follows: E-mail: bentax@barnsley.gov.uk Telephone: 01226 774770 Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm and Friday 9am to 4.30pm Fax: 01226 774733 By writing or sending documents to: Benefits, Taxation and Welfare Rights Division, PO Box 634, Barnsley, S70 9GG By personal visit to any Barnsley Connects office Additional information To learn more about our compliments, comments and complaints process please see general complaints. Related services Council Tax Welfare Rights Barnsley Connects Homelessness and Housing Advice View your benefit details online Other useful websites Citizens Advice Bureau(CAB) give free, confidential and unbiased advice on debt. National Debtline is a free helpline for people with debt problems. Consumer Credit Counselling Service give a free, confidential service to help you work out realistic solutions to your debt problems, they can help you avoid becoming bankrupt and show you how to manage your money. Department for Work and Pensions Data Protection We will use the information you give on the housing benefit application form and any supporting evidence you send us to process your claim for housing benefit.We may pass the information on to the Department for Work and Pensions and HMRC, as allowed by law.We may also use the information to tell you what other welfare benefits you are entitled to. We may check the information provided by you, or information about you provided by someone else, against other information we hold.We may also ask other agencies, organisations, local authorities or government departments to give us information they have about you to make sure the information is accurate, to prevent or detect crime and to protect public funds.