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Can You Get Help Paying a Rent Deposit or Moving Costs?

Yes, often. In England, if you get Housing Benefit or Universal Credit with housing costs, your council can give you a Housing Payment from the Crisis and Resilience Fund towards a rent deposit, rent in advance or removal costs, and you do not have to pay it back. If you have been on Universal Credit for 6 months or more, a Budgeting Advance of £100 up to £812 can also cover a deposit or removal costs, but you repay it from your Universal Credit.

Council Housing Payments in England

Discretionary Housing Payments ended in England on 31 March 2026. From April 2026, councils pay a Housing Payment instead, as part of the Crisis and Resilience Fund. The government’s guidance for councils says the money may be used for:

  • rental deposits and rent in advance
  • costs of securing housing, such as removal expenses or setting up a tenancy
  • shortfalls between your housing support and your actual rent

To qualify, you must be entitled to Housing Benefit or Universal Credit that includes housing costs. Councils decide how you apply, but each scheme must offer at least two ways in, such as online, by phone or face to face. A friend, relative or support worker can apply for you. It is discretionary, so the council decides whether to pay and how much.

If you do not get those benefits, the same fund also pays Crisis Payments. These are not limited to people on benefits, and housing costs are one of the things they can help with. Each council sets its own rules, so ask yours what it offers.

Universal Credit Budgeting Advance

If you already get Universal Credit, a Budgeting Advance can pay for a one-off cost. GOV.UK lists a rent (tenancy) deposit or removal costs, if you are moving house. It cannot be used for rent itself, ongoing bills or debts.

Your household Most you can get
Single £348
Couple £464
With children £812

The smallest amount is £100. To be eligible you must have been getting Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance or Pension Credit for 6 months or more, unless you need the money to start or stay in work. You will not get one if you earned more than £2,600 in the past 6 months (£3,600 for a couple), or if you are still repaying an earlier Budgeting Advance.

You usually repay it over 24 months, starting from your next payment. Apply through your Universal Credit journal, your work coach or the Universal Credit helpline.

If you get older benefits such as income-related ESA or Pension Credit instead, a Budgeting Loan can help with rent in advance and costs linked to moving house. Shelter notes that a Budgeting Loan cannot be used for a deposit.

Rent deposit, bond and guarantee schemes

Many councils and charities run local schemes. They work in different ways:

  • Rent deposit schemes lend or give you the deposit. Some are grants; others are interest-free loans you pay back in small amounts.
  • Bond or guarantee schemes give the landlord a written guarantee instead of cash. If you leave owing rent or causing damage, the scheme pays the landlord, and you may have to pay the scheme back.

Shelter says most schemes are for people who are homeless or need to move urgently. If you could be homeless in the next 8 weeks, ask your council for homeless help. The charity Crisis keeps a Help to Rent database of schemes across the UK.

If a scheme pays your deposit, your landlord must still protect it in a government-approved scheme. A guarantor can also help: some landlords will accept one instead of a large up-front payment. See renting with a guarantor.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Scotland. Discretionary Housing Payments still exist. Shelter Scotland says they can pay for tenancy deposits, rent in advance and moving costs if you get the housing element of Universal Credit or Housing Benefit. A Community Care Grant from the Scottish Welfare Fund can cover the costs of moving home, but not rent or a deposit. Rent deposit and guarantee schemes run locally. For deposit limits, see tenancy deposit rules in Scotland.

Wales. Discretionary Housing Payments continue. GOV.UK says they can cover rent deposits and rent in advance if you need to move, for people on Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit. The Discretionary Assistance Fund gives grants for emergencies and for furniture and white goods when you set up home, but it does not list deposits.

Northern Ireland. Discretionary Support can give an interest-free loan or a grant in a crisis. It can help with rent you have to pay in advance to a landlord other than the Housing Executive. Universal Credit Budgeting Advances there list rent in advance and removal expenses, with the same £348, £464 and £812 limits.

Worked example (fictional)

Jo is single, lives in England and has been on Universal Credit with housing costs for 8 months. She has found a flat at £900 a month.

  • Weekly rent: £900 × 12 ÷ 52 = £207.69
  • Five weeks’ deposit: £900 × 12 ÷ 52 × 5 = £1,038.46
  • One month’s rent in advance: £900
  • Van hire (fictional quote): £150
  • Total needed: £1,038.46 + £900 + £150 = £2,088.46

Jo asks her council for a Housing Payment towards the deposit and rent in advance. She also applies for the maximum single Budgeting Advance of £348 for the van and other moving costs. That repays at £348 ÷ 24 = £14.50 a month. If the council turns her down, the gap is £2,088.46 − £348 = £1,740.46, so she would look at a local deposit scheme next.

Work out how much you need

Use the tenancy deposit calculator to check the most a landlord can ask for, then the moving house cost calculator to add up removals and other move-day costs. Our guide to the upfront costs of renting lists everything else to budget for, and renting on Universal Credit covers how your housing costs are paid.

Sources

This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Report a possible error.