1.0 Background

1.1 From April Discretionary Housing Payments are replaced with Housing Payments which are part of the new Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF). This is a new three year funding grant from the Government to help authorities improve the longer term outcomes for low-income residents.

1.2  Funding for Housing Payments will remain at £306,562 from April 2026 for two years of the grant, then it will be reduced for the third year. 

1.3 Housing payments are awarded, in addition to certain welfare benefits, when it is considered that a claimant requires further financial assistance towards housing costs. 

1.4  Housing costs are not defined in regulations but in general housing costs means rental liability; however, housing costs can be interpreted more widely to include: 

1. rent in advance
2. deposits
3. other lump sum costs associated with a housing need such as removal costs.

1.5  Requiring further financial assistance generally means the claimant will need to show that they need additional financial support to be able to meet their housing costs. In deciding whether a claimant requires a Housing Payment the authority will carry out a financial assessment and consider the wider circumstances of the claimant, i.e. the reasons why someone needs financial assistance. 

1.6  Housing Payments are not meant to act as a supplement to income, they are short term payments aimed at helping claimants during a period of  a crisis or financial shock and may form part of a wider support offer. 

2.0 Eligibility

2.1 There are conditions as part of the CRF that apply to Housing Payments that must be met before entitlement can be considered. These conditions are that the claimant must be: 

• in receipt of Housing Benefit (HB); or
• in receipt of Universal Credit (UC) with the housing element included; and
• has a rental liability; and
• requires further financial assistance with housing costs.

2.2 Housing Payments may be made where the requirement for financial assistance does not arise from:

• Ineligible Service Charges as specified in Schedule 1 of the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006 or Schedule 1 to the Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations 2006 or, for UC, a service charge not listed in Schedule 1 paragraph 7 of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013
• Increases in rent due to outstanding rent arrears as set out in Regulation 11(3) of the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006 and Regulation 11(2) of the Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations 2006
• Sanctions and reductions in benefit as specified under regulations 100 to 114 of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013 or due to a breach of a community service order
• Shortfall caused by HB or UC overpayment recovery
• Benefit suspensions where there is doubt about entitlement or because a claimant has failed to supply information pertinent to their claim as specified in section 21, 22 or 24 of the Social Security Act 1998 or section 68 of, and paragraphs 13 and 14 of Schedule 7 to, the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000

When the Housing Payment is being considered for rent costs, it should not exceed the weekly HB or UC Housing element. 

3.0 The policy aims 

3.1  Each claim will be considered on its own circumstances in a fair, reasonable and consistent manner. The decision forms part of the authority’s wider approach to reducing poverty, targeting support to those most in need and may be part of a wider support offer that covers other costs, expenses or advice. Through operation of this policy the Council aims to try to:

• alleviate poverty;
• support vulnerable young people in the transition to adult life;
• encourage residents to obtain and sustain employment;
• safeguard vulnerable residents in their homes;
• help those who are trying to help themselves;
• help claimants through a personal crisis or a difficult period.

4.0 Claims and supporting evidence  

4.1 A claim can only be considered if it includes sufficient information to be able to decide entitlement. Claims can be made in writing, on a form specifically to claim a Housing Payment or by email. A claim can be made by the claimant or by the claimant’s representative. 

• Any (reasonable) evidence in support of a claim may be asked for, and this should be provided within one month of the request although this will be extended where appropriate. 

• If the claimant is unable to or does not provide the required evidence, then a decision may be made on the information available. 

5.0  Awarding a Housing Payment on Universal Credit (UC)

5.11  When assessing an application from a UC claimant, we will consider the  total monthly household income including the whole value of the UC award, less total monthly household expenditure (which the Authority deem reasonable. The amount we take into consideration as expenses may not be the amounts the customer states they have if those amounts are considered too high). 

6.0 Payment duration and backdating

6.1   The amount awarded will be dependent on all the circumstances of the case and in line with the guidance for the Crisis and Resilience Fund. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/crisis-and-resilience-fund-guidance-for-local-authorities-in-england-1-april-2026-to-31-march-2029

6.2  Housing Payments may be paid in multiple instalments or in a lump sum. The duration of the Housing Payment is determined by the decision maker. The award period and any end dates will be advised to the claimant. 

6.3  Awards can be backdated. The Housing Payment can only be considered for a period where HB or relevant award of UC is payable.

7.0 Those requiring a significantly adapted property

7.1 Those claimants who because of their disability, live in a property that has been significantly adapted to meet their disability needs, will not have to demonstrate that they are unable to meet their rent shortfall between their rent and UC housing costs entitlement from their own income. The shortfall in eligible rent will be met by a Housing Payment and will be paid until the end of the appropriate financial year when the current Crisis and Resilience Fund ends. A definition of significantly adapted is provided at Appendix A.

8.0 Income 

8.1 All income that is available to a claimant will be taken into account when working out entitlement to a Housing Payment

8.2 Where a DWP benefit has a sanction applied to it, as the claimant has not met the conditions of entitlement, the benefit in question will be assessed as if the sanction had not applied. 

9.0 Capital

9.1 Where capital exceeds £1,000 the claimant will not be entitled to claim a Housing Payment unless paragraph 7 applies.

10.0 Expenses

10.1  All genuine and reasonable expenses will be considered and included in the calculation of a Housing Payment where appropriate.  Where the claimant’s expenses are considered unreasonable i.e. higher than expected for a household size and circumstances, then the expenses taken into account will be reduced to a level considered appropriate for the household size and circumstances. 

11.0 Changes of Circumstances

11.01 Awards may be revised where the claimant’s circumstances have changed.

12.00  Method of payment 

• Housing Payment will be paid through the HB payment system and may also be paid alongside HB payments if the customer receives HB payments.
• Payments may be made to third parties (such as agents, appointees and landlords) where appropriate.

13.0 Notification

13.1 The claimant will be notified of the outcome of their application. Where the application is unsuccessful, the notification will set out the reasons why this decision was made and explain the right of review. Where the application is successful, the notification will advise: 

• the weekly amount of Housing Payment awarded;

• the date it started and will end

13.2 In appropriate cases the notification will also include an expectation that the claimant takes steps to improve their financial circumstances. Where this is the case and a follow up claim is made, evidence will be required that the claimant has taken action to improve their circumstances and what the outcomes of those actions are. Future awards may not be made if the claimant fails to engage with the support offered.

13.2 Where appropriate, the claimants will be signposted to relevant organisations that can also help. 

14.0 The right to seek a review

14.1 Where the claimant is unhappy about a Housing Payment decision, they or their appointee may request a review of that decision. The request for review should be made in writing to the Benefits Service within one calendar month of the decision. 

14.2 The review will be carried out by a panel of two Benefit Team Leaders not involved with the original decision. 

• They will consider the case and all available evidence within 1 month of a request or as soon as practicable after.

• Where the panel decides not to revise the original decision, they will notify the claimant of their decision, setting out the reasons for their decision. 

• If the claimant is still unhappy the claimant may have recourse to Judicial Review of the decision and will need to take their own legal advice to pursue this.

15.0 Overpayments

15.1 Any Housing Payment found to be overpaid may be recovered where appropriate. 

16.0 Monitoring of claims

16.1 Monitoring of the fund will be ongoing and relevant data provided to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as requested.

16.2 Monitoring of the data on claims will be carried out as and when required and used where appropriate to inform future Equality Impact Assessments or future administration of the CRF fund 

17.0 Additional Support 

17.1 Claimants may be referred to other support that is available in the council or delivered by our trusted partners if the decision maker feels that the customer would benefit from this additional support.

Appendix A - Definition of Substantially Adapted 

A property will be deemed substantially adapted if the property has 3 major adaptations or more or has a through floor lift.  

Major adaptations include any permanent adaptations, e.g. concrete ramp, widened doors, level access shower, adapted kitchen, purpose built or specifically adapted properties etc.

For Council owned properties, any properties where a through floor lift has removed a bedroom from usage it will be re-designated as a smaller property rather than classed as a significantly adapted property.

Appendix B – Change Control (amendments to policy)