Housing and Rental Support

There are several ways to reduce your council tax bill, if you are eligible. These include:

• Single person discount
• Student discounts
• Discounts for severely mentally impaired people
• Disabled person reduction
• Council Tax Support.

For more information and to apply for Council Tax support visit: https://bit.ly/ctsderby

Single Discretionary Award Scheme

Get help with all or part of your rent

You may get help with all or part of your rent. There’s no set amount of housing costs support and what you get will depend on whether you rent privately or from a council or housing association.

Use a benefits calculator to find out if you can get benefits to help pay your rent

Universal Credit if you’re unemployed or on low income

If you and/or your partner are responsible for paying rent for the home you live in, or if you have a mortgage, Universal Credit may provide help towards the cost. 

Check if you are eligible for Universal Credit

Housing benefit

Housing Benefit can help you pay your rent if you are state pension age or you’re in supported, sheltered or temporary accommodation

Check if you are eligible for Housing Benefit

Budgeting Loans

You may be eligible for a Budgeting Loan if you’ve been on certain benefits for 6 months. This can be used for household items, rent in advance and travelling costs.

You only have to pay back the amount you borrow, and repayments are taken automatically from your benefits.

The lowest amount you can borrow is £100. You could get up to:

• £348 if you’re single

• £464 if you have a partner

• £812 if you or your partner claim Child Benefit

Check if you’re eligible for a Budgeting Loan

If you’re behind with your mortgage payments, you’re in ‘arrears’ - this means you owe money to your mortgage provider. 

You need to agree with your mortgage provider a way to pay back what you owe. If you don’t, your mortgage provider might take you to court and try to take your home. They should only do this after exploring all other options with you.

Try to pay as much as you can, even if it’s not the full amount. Your provider can’t take you to court until you owe a total of 3 months' worth of payments.

Get help with interest payments on mortgages or loans

If you’re a homeowner, you might be able to get help towards interest payments on:

• your mortgage
• loans you’ve taken out for certain repairs and improvements to your home
• This help is called Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI).

It’s paid as a loan, which you’ll need to repay with interest when you sell or transfer ownership of your home (unless you’re moving the loan to another property).

You usually need to be getting, or treated as getting, a qualifying benefit to get SMI.

There’s no guarantee that you’ll get SMI for a mortgage or loan you take out.

SMI cannot help you pay:

• the amount you borrowed - only the interest on your mortgage
• anything towards insurance policies you have
• missed mortgage payments (arrears)

Check if you’re eligible for the Support for Mortgage Interest scheme