Money Advice & Support

Whether you need a benefit check to see if you're getting everything you're entitled to, help managing your budget or paying your rent, our teams are here to help you.

We’re all facing challenges in various ways when it comes to making our money stretch.

To help customers navigate this period, we’ve published a one-off money edition of our customer magazine, Reach, called ‘Reach Out’.

Find out more

Our Welfare Benefit and Money Advice team is available for you to seek advice and assistance with all matters relating to welfare benefits, debt and money advice.

Whether you want a benefit check to see if you are getting all the benefits you are entitled to, need help to manage your budget and to pay your rent, the team are here to help and assist you.

How the team can help

There are a number of options which may help you to pay your rent:

Alternative Payment Arrangement

An Alternative Payment Arrangement (APA) via Universal Credit can be requested by a claimant or a claimants Landlord for those who may struggle to budget their monthly rent payment where there is a risk of it causing financial harm to the claimant or their family. These can be split into two payments per month to make budgeting easier. If you feel you may benefit from your rent payment being paid direct to your Landlord due to issues with struggling to budget, rent arrears or other vulnerabilities then you can request this at any time via your Universal Credit Journal, by speaking with your Work Coach or by calling 0800 328 5644.

Find out more about Alternative Payment Arrangement (APA).

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If you receive Housing Benefit to pay your rent, you can request your local council to pay us directly. This can help you budget.

It is important to remember that if there are any changes in your household or income, you must report them. This includes people moving in or out, children reaching adult age or leaving full-time education, changes in hourly rates of pay or any other income you may receive, and any changes in the amount of savings you may have. Such changes can affect the amount of help you are entitled to for paying your rent.

Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP)

Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) provide financial support to help with rent or housing costs.

You can apply for a DHP if you currently get either:

Housing Benefit
the housing element of Universal Credit and need more financial support with housing costs

You need to apply to your local council. Find out more here.

Universal Credit supports you if you are on a low income or out of work. It includes a monthly payment to help with your living costs. It has been designed to replace six existing benefits.

The change to monthly payments is designed to encourage people to manage their money. It is also more similar in the way wages are paid. This includes paying housing payments to the claimant, for them to then pay to their landlords.

About Universal Credit (UC)

Make a UC claim

Use this handy tool to work your way through the Universal Credit application process.

UC step-by-step guide

You might be able to pay less council tax or not pay it at all depending on your circumstances.

You might be able to get:

discounts - for example, for a single person or an empty property
Council Tax Reduction (CTR) if you have low income
a different reduction if you can’t get much CTR

Apply to your local council for Council Tax Reduction (sometimes called Council Tax Support).

Find out more

Below are links to some help and support articles relating to payments and money.

Image of a woman on the phone looking relieved

News
Tue, 17/06/2025

Halton Housing Partners with Money Wellness to Support Your Financial Wellbeing

Exiting new partnership! Halton Housing now offers free, confidential money advice through a new partnership with Money Wellness.

Man sitting on a red couch at home looking at his laptop

Money Advice
Tue, 19/11/2024

Discounted Internet - could you be missing out?

Are you struggling to afford your internet? You could benefit from cheaper rates, known as a ‘Social Tariff’ Social tariffs - discounted broadband and mobile deals for people on Universal Credit and other benefits.

Help & Support

New government backed free money advice website launched

Looking for some online money advice? This free service could answer a variety of your questions.

young lady on the telephone holding a mug

Help & Support

Has your UC account been closed without warning? This could be why

If you have found your UC account closed without warning, it could be because of the increase in Administrative Earnings Threshold (AET).

Help & Support

Universal Credit and Carers Allowance

Carers Allowance is given to those who spend at least 35 hours per week providing regular care for someone with a disability. Find out more about how Universal Credit affects those claiming Carers Allowance.