Full list of help for renters including little-known scheme worth up to £4,500 as costs hit record highs
THE cost of renting privately is at a record high with many people spiraling into debt just to keep a roof over their heads.
A shortage in housing and soaring mortgage rates have both contributed to pushing the cost up in the past 12 months.
According to Rightmove, the average rent for new properties coming onto the market outside of London is £1,278, up by 10% in the past 12 months.
For people living in London, the average rent is £2,627 a month, which is a 12.1% increase on the same time last year.
Enquiries for rented properties have also shot up in the last couple of years.
The property website said that agents are receiving three times more enquiries from prospective tenants than they did in 2019.
With rising energy costs and the weekly shop now costing more than it did, it is no wonder that people are falling into debt when trying to keep a roof over their heads.
If you are struggling with your living costs there are schemes out there that might be able to help you out.
If you are struggling with problem debt or think that it is only a matter of time before you are, here are six things that may help you.
Discretionary housing payment
If you are struggling to cover the cost of your housing you could be eligible for some support under a little-known government scheme.
Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) is a pot of money handed out by councils to people in need of some help with their rent.
You may be able to get Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) if you are entitled to Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit.
How much you get depends on where you live so this will vary.
The average amount handed out across the country is around £527, figures seen by The Sun previously revealed.
But some areas are giving out thousands of pounds and in one area as much as £4,496 was handed to a hard-up household.
Local authorities dish out the cash on a case-by-case basis and take into consideration factors such as the cost of your rent, the size of your family and if you have fallen behind on your payments.
Welfare Assistance Schemes
Many local authorities have Welfare Assistance schemes in place.
Help varies from free cash and food vouchers to money towards rent and energy bills.
Some areas offer up to £1,000 whereas some councils do not have any scheme in place at all.
If you are struggling check with your local council to see what help is available for you.
If you are not sure which council you come under you can check by entering your postcode on the government website.
Household Support Fund
The Household Support Fund (HSF) is another council scheme that is designed to help struggling families with rising living costs.
As with the other government schemes what you get and how much you can get varies depending on where you live.
Most local council websites have details of what is on offer and how you can apply.
For example, locals in North Yorkshire received electronic supermarket vouchers worth up to £325.
Check what benefits you are entitled to
You may be entitled to further cost of living payments if you claim pension credit, income support or universal credit.
A good way to check what you are entitled to is to use free online benefit calculators.
Entitledto’s free calculator works out whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credits and Universal Credit.
Debt charity StepChange also has a benefits checker which is free to use and won’t record your results.
Contact your provider
If you are struggling it is important not to bury your head in the sand.
It is always worth contacting your provider to see if there is anything they can do to help you.
Each company has a different policy but it is worth asking if they can help you either from a hardship fund or by giving you more time to pay.
Free confidential debt advice
There are many charities that offer free debt advice and it is completely confidential.
Citizens Advice is a free service that can help you come up with a plan to get on top of your debt.
It has a useful page with helpful advice but you can also contact them over the telephone or in person.
StepChange is another free advice service offering support and guidance online or over the phone, and it’s completely confidential.
Where possible, their advisers will help you come up with a plan to repay all your debts but in a way that you can afford.
National Debtline is a charity run offering free and confidential advice to people in England, Wales and Scotland.
You can contact them online or over the phone on 0808 808 4000, between 9am and 8pm Monday to Friday, and 9.30am to 1pm on Saturdays.