Bedroom tax
We get lots of questions about bedroom tax. It can get pretty confusing so you’ll find information here on what bedroom tax is, why it exists and how it might affect you.
Despite the name, bedroom tax isn’t actually a tax - you don’t pay money to the government directly. Instead, it means that if you have one or more spare bedrooms, your Housing Benefit or Universal Credit housing element may be reduced.
If you rent your home from us and have a spare bedroom, your benefit will be reduced by:
- 14% for one spare bedroom
- 25% for two or more spare bedrooms
Get help from our financial inclusion team
Our advisors are trained to give free, one to one support, if you're worried about money. If you're struggling to pay your rent, looking for benefits support or help with budgeting then give us a call. They can even help you find free clothing and interview coaching.
Does the bedroom tax apply to me?
You may be affected if your home has one or more spare bedrooms.
A spare bedroom is a room not being used by any of the following:
- A couple
- A person aged 16 or over
- Two children under 16 of the same gender (expected to share)
- Two children under 10 (regardless of gender, expected to share)
- Any other child who doesn’t fit into a shared room
Are there any exceptions?
You might not be affected if:
- You’re of working age and have a disability requiring a carer to stay overnight or space for medical equipment (and receive the relevant benefits)
- You have an adult child in the armed forces or studying away from home — their room won’t be counted as spare
- You have a severely disabled child who cannot share a bedroom
- You or your partner have reached State Pension age or are eligible for Pension Credit
If any of these apply, contact your local authority or work coach (for Universal Credit) to make sure your benefits are correctly assessed.
Are you struggling with the bedroom tax?
If your rent has become harder to manage, please don’t struggle alone.
- Visit our struggling to pay page
- Or contact us directly to talk about your payment options
Mutual exchange
You might be considering moving to a home with fewer bedrooms. If this is something you think you might be interested in, you can apply for a mutual exchange through HomeSwapper or by talking to one of our advisors to see what other homes we have available.
Discretionary Housing Payment
Your local authority may be able to offer short-term financial help through a Discretionary Housing Payment. This could help cover your rent shortfall or support you if your home has been adapted due to disability.
Each council has its own rules, and many only award DHPs for a limited period, so it’s important to plan ahead for when the award ends.
Housing Benefit review
If you’ve been living in your home since 1st January 1996 and claiming housing benefit since that time, you might be able to receive a greater award or a backdate by asking your local authority for a review of your Housing Benefit award and explaining the time length of your claim.
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Talk to our financial inclusion team
Our team are trained to give free, one to one support, if you're worried about money. If you're struggling to pay your rent, looking for benefits support or help with budgeting then give us a call. They can even help you find free clothing and interview coaching.