Financial help

If you claim Universal Credit you will be responsible for paying your own rent. If your rent changes, you are also responsible for notifying the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) of these changes.

Once you have applied for Universal Credit, the DWP will assess your personal and housing circumstances and review what help you are entitled to. A lump sum will be paid directly to you on a monthly basis, which you will then need to pay your rent to the council.

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) is housing benefit paid to people who live in private rented accommodation to help pay their rent.

Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are extra payments to help pay your rent.

If your circumstances change while you are claiming housing benefit but you do not tell us straight away you could be paid more benefit than you are entitled to. The difference between what you were actually paid and what you should have been paid is called an overpayment.