Housing Benefit


Housing Benefit (HB) is help to pay the rent for people on low incomes, whether they are working or unemployed and can pay for part or all of the rent depending on income and circumstances. Savings must normally be below £16,000. If you live with a partner, only one of you can claim the benefit. If you are single and under 35, you can only get HB for bedsit accommodation or a single room in shared accommodation.


You will not usually get HB if:


• your savings are over £16,000 (unless you get Guarantee credit of Pension Credit);


• you live in the home of a close relative;


• you are a full-time student - unless you are disabled or have children;


• you are an European Economic Area jobseeker;


• you are an asylum seeker or sponsored to be in the UK;


• you are subject to immigration control and your granted leave states that you cannot claim public funds.


How much you get depends on:


• the “eligible” rent — what the government deems as the reasonable rent for a suitable property in the area;


• if you have one or more spare rooms this amount is reduced (see below); and


• household income (including benefits, pensions and savings of over £6,000) and your circumstances – for example the age of people in your household or if someone has a disability. 


Local councils are responsible for paying HB, but it is gradually being abolished and paid instead as a housing element as part of Universal Credit (UC) administered by the Department for Work and Pensions. UC began in October 2013 for some new claims, but is now massively behind schedule (see Chapter 1). (If you are getting HB while you are waiting for your benefits to be transferred to UC, you can choose whether to appeal against a HB decision or ask for it to be looked at again. However, once your benefits are transferred to UC, you will be covered by new appeal rules).