Rent in advance and rent deposits

If you are at risk of homelessness and on a low income, the council may be able to provide financial assistance to either make your current accommodation affordable or to help you secure alternative accommodation.

Each scheme has its own criteria and application process, so any decisions made about an application will depend upon your personal circumstances. 

Please contact the Housing Options Team to discuss your situation first - we can then work out the most suitable option for you.
 

Rent deposit and rent in advance

The council are able to provide assistance in the form of a deposit and rent in advance, if you meet the following eligibility criteria:

• you have a local connection to West Berkshire - 'local connection' means you have either:
  • lived here for 6 out of the last 12 months, or 3 out of the last 5 years
  • have permanent employment here
  • have immediate family who have lived here for over 5 years
• there is evidence that you are homeless or threatened with homelessness
• there is evidence that you are eligible for housing assistance
• there is evidence that you have no other way of finding the deposit (we expect you to have exhausted all other means of securing the finances)

If you meet the eligibility criteria above and find a property to rent, the council will undertake a financial assessment to confirm that the property is affordable for your household in the longer term and it is suitable for your needs. We will also make sure that the property meets any legal requirements.

Once we have done this, we can formerly offer the assistance of:

• up to one month's Local Housing Allowance Rate as a deposit (the rate you receive depends on your household size)
• first month's rent in advance

This lets you move in without needing to provide a deposit yourself. We will then claim any money paid out at the end of the tenancy.

The deposit can be claimed upon for any damage to the property beyond what is fair or reasonable, or if you fail to pay the rent.

To find out if you may be eligible for any financial support, please contact the Housing Options Team.

Discretionary Housing Payment

Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP). The DHP scheme provides financial assistance for housing costs for those entitled to Housing Benefit or Universal Credit (UC).

You can apply or find out more on our Discretionary Housing Payment page.