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 on 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 can 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. This assessment will check that the property is affordable for your household in the longer term and 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. 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.

Crisis and Resilience Fund

The Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) was introduced 1st April 2026. The CRF replaces the Household Support Fund (HSF) as well as Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP). It will support low-income households who are in crisis: funding rent, energy, food, essential household items, and other instances of crisis.

You can find out more about the Crisis and Resilience Fund here.

If you are a low-income household experiencing financial crisis and/or require support with housing payments, please email crf@westberks.gov.uk or call 01635 519 194.