Crisis and Resilience Fund – Housing Payment

The Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) is intended to help people to become more financially secure. Please visit Surrey County Council’s website for information on CRF.

The Housing Payment (HP) element of the Crisis and Resilience Fund replaces Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP). A Housing Payment provides financial help with rent.

Who can apply for a Housing Payment

You can apply if you get either Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit when this does not provide enough money to pay your rent.

We may award a Housing Payment for several reasons including when:

• rent eligible for benefit has been restricted because of the bedroom tax
• the benefit cap has been applied
• there is a shortfall (difference) between your rent and the amount of your Housing Benefit award or housing element of Universal Credit

We cannot award a Housing Payment to cover:

• water, meals, fuel or other ineligible charges included in your rent
• a reduction in Housing Benefit caused by recovery of an overpayment, or a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) sanction
• rent arrears for a period when you were not on Housing Benefit, or the housing element of Universal Credit

There is an expectation that you will have investigated other types of support or solutions to your short-term financial crisis before you apply for a Housing Payment.

How to apply

When you apply, you’ll need to give information about the money you have coming in and the money you spend.

Apply for Housing Payment

If you claim Universal Credit (UC), you will need to upload evidence of the last 2 UC assessment periods which confirms the housing element, rent and any deductions used in the calculation.

It is important that you give as much information as you can, to help us reach a decision. This will be based on our Housing Payment policy.

Payments

The most you can receive is the difference between the benefits you are already receiving and your eligible rent charge. The Housing Payment award depends on your circumstances and is based on the information provided.

A Housing Payment is normally paid to the person making the application, unless:

• there are rent arrears
• the housing element of Universal Credit is paid directly to the landlord (known as an APA)

In these instances, they are paid to the landlord.

Change of circumstances

You must let us know of any changes in circumstances as this could affect your payment.

Length of award 

Awards are granted for a time-limited period. This can be for 13 or 26 weeks, depending on the circumstances. This is to allow you time to look at:

• finding work or increasing hours of work
• seeking alternative accommodation, housing advice or options
• other health benefits (for example, DLA, PIP or the health element of Universal Credit)
• formalising maintenance
• managing debts and budgeting

Appeals

You cannot appeal against a Housing Payment decision. This is because they are not benefits.

You do have the right to ask us to look at the decision again.

If you want us to review our decision, you should:

• write to us within one month of the date on the decision letter
• give your reasons why

If you are writing later than one month from the date on the decision letter, you need to give a reason.

Counter fraud

We are under a duty to protect the public money we administer and may use the information you provide for the prevention and detection of fraud.

Find out more on our Data Matching Level 2 Notice page.