Housing and bills benefits
Help with rent, council tax or rates, mortgages and some energy discounts.
Nation rules still apply inside a category. A disability payment in Scotland is not always the same payment as in England. Open the individual guide for where you live, or browse by circumstance.
Check which of these may apply to you
It usually takes about 5 minutes. You do not need to create an account. This is guidance, not a government decision.
England, Scotland and Wales
Council Tax Reduction
Help from your local council if you are on a low income and need to pay council tax. Each council runs its own scheme, so the rules and amounts vary.
UK-wide
Discretionary Housing Payment
Extra, limited help from your council toward a rent shortfall if you already get Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit. It is discretionary, not an entitlement, and budgets run out.
England
Household Support Fund
A time-limited fund paid through English councils (with separate cost-of-living schemes in the other nations) to help with essentials such as food and energy. It is local crisis support, not a weekly national benefit.
UK-wide
Housing Benefit
Help towards rent if you are on a low income. Most working-age people now claim housing costs through Universal Credit instead. Housing Benefit still applies in some situations, including many people of State Pension age.
Northern Ireland
Rate Relief
Help with domestic rates in Northern Ireland if you are on a low income. This is the Northern Ireland equivalent of Council Tax Reduction. Working-age people on Universal Credit usually claim Rate Rebate; Housing Benefit and Rate Relief still apply for many people of State Pension age.
UK-wide
Support for Mortgage Interest
A loan to help with interest on your mortgage if you get certain income-related benefits. It is not a grant and usually has to be repaid.
England and Wales
Warm Home Discount
A one-off discount on your electricity bill if you get Pension Credit or meet your supplier's low-income criteria. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different schemes.