The government gives local Authorities a budget each year to allow discretionary funding of housing costs that are not covered by the normal Housing or Council Tax Benefit schemes. It’s advisable to encourage your clients to try to claim this money.
Due to cuts in other Housing Benefit areas the overall fund has been increased to £155 million for 2013/ 14. The budget was £60 million in 2012/13.
Note that last year most councils struggled to spend their budget- Click here to see if your Local Authority did.
If the budget remains unspent it normally has to be returned to the government.