Your payments

If you are eligible and approved for HAP, your local authority will make a monthly payment directly to your landlord, on the last Wednesday of each month.

In return, you pay a contribution towards your rent to the local authority. This ‘rent contribution’ is based on your household income. It is calculated in the same way as the rent paid by a tenant of a local authority owned property.

Under HAP legislation, limits for HAP payments are based on the number of people in a household and the rental market in the locality. However, local authorities have limited additional flexibility to exceed rent limits on a case-by-case basis. You can get further information on the limits that apply to your household from your local authority here.

Where the monthly rent agreed with your landlord exceeds the maximum rent limit payable by your local authority on your behalf, you must pay the difference directly to your landlord.

Payment of HAP to your landlord is subject to certain terms and conditions. For example, you, as a HAP tenant, must pay your rent contribution to your local authority or HAP payments may be suspended and ultimately stopped.