Housing Benefit

Since the rollout of Universal Credit, Housing Benefit has been closed to most new claimants of working age. You can still make a new claim for Housing Benefit if you are:

• Above State Pension age and not already receiving Universal Credit
• Living in temporary or exempt accommodation (such as a hostel, refuge, or supported housing where intensive services are provided)
• A care leaver aged 16–17 in certain circumstances

If you are working age, you will need to claim the housing cost element of Universal Credit instead. The housing cost element works differently from Housing Benefit — it is included in your monthly UC payment rather than going directly to your landlord by default.

Existing Housing Benefit claimants will gradually be moved to Universal Credit as part of managed migration. If you receive a migration notice, you should claim UC within the deadline to protect your transitional protection.

If you rent privately, your Housing Benefit (or the housing cost element in UC) is capped at the Local Housing Allowance (LHA). The LHA is the maximum amount payable based on:

• The area you live in (Broad Rental Market Area, BRMA)
• The size of property you are entitled to (number of bedrooms based on household composition)

LHA rates are set at the 30th percentile of local market rents. This means 70% of properties in that area should technically be affordable within the LHA, though in practice many areas have extremely high rents that make finding affordable properties difficult.

You are entitled to one bedroom for each of the following: yourself (and a partner); each two children under 10 (same sex or opposite sex); each two girls under 16; each two boys under 16; each child aged 16+ who cannot share; a carer who stays overnight regularly. The maximum you can claim is for a four-bedroom property.

If you rent from a council or housing association and have more bedrooms than the rules say you need, your Housing Benefit or UC housing cost element is reduced. This is known colloquially as the bedroom tax or, officially, the under-occupancy charge or spare room subsidy reduction.

• One extra bedroom: 14% reduction in eligible rent
• Two or more extra bedrooms: 25% reduction in eligible rent

The bedroom size rules for social housing broadly follow those for LHA, but with some differences. Exemptions apply in certain cases — for example, disabled people who cannot share a room, overnight carers, and foster carers may be entitled to an extra bedroom.

If you are affected by the bedroom tax, you can apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) from your local council. DHPs are not guaranteed but can bridge the gap between your benefit and your rent while you arrange to move to a smaller property or your circumstances change.

If you are above State Pension age and need help with rent, apply directly to your local council. Many councils have an online form on their website; others may require a paper or telephone application.

You will need to provide information about your income, savings, rent, and household. You may need to provide tenancy agreements, bank statements, and proof of identity.

Councils aim to process Housing Benefit claims within 14 days, but this can take longer. Payments are usually made every two weeks or four weeks directly into your bank account, or directly to your landlord if you prefer or if you are vulnerable or in arrears.