Changes to housing benefit for tenants in Social Housing

In 2013, the Government implemented new rules. These rules state that you will receive housing benefit based on one bedroom for each person or couple living as part of the household. There are some exceptions.

• The rules only apply to people of working age claiming housing benefit. They do not apply to pensioners who have reached the qualifying age for pension credit.
• Children under 16 of the same gender are expected to share a bedroom.
• Children under 10 are expected to share a bedroom regardless of their gender.
• A disabled tenant or partner needing a non-resident overnight carer will be allowed an extra room.

Examples

A couple with two girls aged five and 15 will be treated as needing two bedrooms. From April 2013, if they live in a three bedroom home their housing benefit will be reduced.

A single parent with a seven year old boy and nine year old girl will be treated as needing two bedrooms. From April 2013, if they live in a three-bedroom home their housing benefit will be reduced.

The changes affect you if you are of working age and are treated as having at least one spare bedroom. This includes the following.

• Separated parents who share the care of their children and who may have been allocated an extra bedroom for this. Under benefit rules, there must be just one ‘main carer’ for children – if you are not the main carer, your benefit will be reduced.
• Couples who don’t share the same bedroom – the second bedroom will be treated as a spare bedroom.
• Foster carers – the bedroom they use for any foster children will be treated as a spare bedroom. This is because foster children are not counted as part of the household for benefit purposes.

If you have one ‘spare’ bedroom, the rent we use to calculate your housing benefit reduced by 14%. This was to equal to about £12 a week (£624 a year).

If you have two or more ‘spare’ bedrooms, the rent we use to calculate your housing benefit reduced by 25%. This was equal to about £22 a week (£1,144 a year).

What if your housing benefit payments don’t cover your rent

If you think your housing benefit will be reduced because you have one or more ‘spare’ bedrooms, you need to start planning for the change now.  

To avoid falling into arrears, you will have to use other money to pay your landlord the shortfall. If you are worried you won’t be able to pay any shortfall in your rent, contact your landlord.