Working-age claimants: Housing Benefit is no longer available for new claims
If you are of working age and not already on Housing Benefit, you almost certainly cannot make a new claim. The route to help with housing costs for working-age people is now the housing cost element of Universal Credit.
If you are already on Housing Benefit and working age, you will receive a migration notice from the DWP when it is time for your claim to transfer to Universal Credit. Do not switch voluntarily before that notice arrives, doing so could affect your transitional protection entitlements.
Who can still claim Housing Benefit
Housing Benefit still exists and is actively claimed by several groups:
Pension-age claimants: If you have reached State Pension age (currently 66, verify at GOV.UK), you can make a new Housing Benefit claim through your local council. Pension Credit recipients are usually entitled to full Housing Benefit.
Temporary accommodation: If your local council has placed you in temporary accommodation, Housing Benefit rather than UC often applies to cover those costs. Contact your council's housing team for specifics.
Supported or exempt accommodation: This includes places where care, support, or supervision is provided alongside accommodation, such as care homes, sheltered housing, hostels, and refuges run by charities or registered providers. Housing Benefit rather than UC typically applies here. The rules are complex; get advice from your accommodation provider or Citizens Advice.
Existing claimants not yet migrated: A significant number of people are still on Housing Benefit while managed migration continues. If you have not received a migration notice, you remain on Housing Benefit for now.
How Housing Benefit is calculated: the Local Housing Allowance
If you rent from a private landlord, your Housing Benefit (or UC housing cost element) is capped at the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rate for your area and bedroom entitlement.
LHA is not based on your actual rent. It is set at the 30th percentile of local rents for the relevant bedroom size in your Broad Rental Market Area. That means 70% of local rents are above the LHA rate.
In practice: if your rent is higher than your LHA rate, you pay the difference yourself. In high-rent areas, the gap between LHA and actual market rents can be substantial.
Your bedroom entitlement is based on your household composition. There are specific rules about how many bedrooms children of different ages are expected to share. GOV.UK sets out the full entitlement rules.
Social housing: different rules apply
If you rent from a local council or housing association, your eligible rent is calculated differently from the LHA approach used for private tenants.
Key rules that affect social housing tenants:
- Bedroom tax (spare room subsidy): If you are of working age and have more bedrooms than the DWP counts as necessary for your household, your eligible rent may be reduced by 14% or 25%. This applies to Housing Benefit and the UC housing cost element.
- Benefit cap: Your total benefit payments, including Housing Benefit or the UC housing cost element, are subject to an overall cap for most working-age claimants. Verify the current cap amounts at GOV.UK. Some households are exempt.
If you are in social housing and unsure how these rules apply to your situation, the Citizens Advice housing team can help.
How to apply for Housing Benefit
Housing Benefit is administered by local councils. There is no single national portal. You apply directly to the council for the area where you live.
Most councils have an online application form on their website. You will typically need:
- Your National Insurance number
- Your tenancy agreement
- Details of all income, savings, and any benefits you receive
- Details of anyone else living in your home
Processing times vary by council. If you are in urgent need, ask your council's housing benefit team about interim payments.
If you qualify for Housing Benefit and later find that you were entitled earlier, some councils will backdate a claim. The rules on backdating vary, contact your council directly to ask.
Savings and the savings threshold
Savings above £16,000 generally disqualify you from Housing Benefit. This is different from Universal Credit, which uses the same £16,000 upper limit.
Savings between £6,000 and £16,000 are treated as generating tariff income, for every £250 of savings in this range, £1 per week is assumed as notional income. Below £6,000, savings are ignored.
Verify the current thresholds at GOV.UK before applying, as they may have changed.
Get updates when Housing Benefit rules or the Local Housing Allowance changes in your area.
Common questions about Housing Benefit
Can I claim Housing Benefit if I am working?▾
If you are of working age, you cannot make a new Housing Benefit claim. You need to claim the housing cost element of Universal Credit instead. If you are of pension age, Housing Benefit is still available to you whether or not you are working.
Can I claim Housing Benefit if I own my home?▾
No. Housing Benefit is only for people who rent. Homeowners struggling with mortgage costs may be able to access Support for Mortgage Interest, which is a government loan rather than a benefit, see GOV.UK for details.
What is the Local Housing Allowance?▾
LHA is the cap on how much Housing Benefit private renters can receive. It is set at the 30th percentile of local rents for your bedroom entitlement in your area, not based on your actual rent. If your rent is higher than the LHA rate, you cover the difference yourself. The rates are set and reviewed by the Valuation Office Agency and vary significantly by location.
Do I need to pay Housing Benefit back?▾
No, not in normal circumstances. Housing Benefit is a benefit, not a loan. However, if you are paid too much (an overpayment) because your circumstances changed and you did not report it, the council may require repayment. Always report changes in income, savings, household composition, or rent promptly.
My landlord says they do not accept Housing Benefit. Is that legal?▾
Refusing to rent to people because they receive benefits has become legally questionable in England and Wales. Various court decisions and regulatory changes have moved against blanket "no DSS" policies. If you believe you have been refused a tenancy on this basis, Citizens Advice can give you up-to-date guidance on the current legal position.
I have savings between £6,000 and £16,000. Will I still qualify?▾
You may qualify, but those savings will reduce your Housing Benefit award. For every £250 of savings between £6,000 and £16,000, £1 per week is treated as notional income. Savings below £6,000 do not affect your claim. Savings above £16,000 disqualify you entirely, verify the current thresholds at GOV.UK.
What is the benefit cap and does it affect Housing Benefit?▾
Yes. The benefit cap limits total household benefit income (including Housing Benefit) to a set weekly amount for most working-age claimants. The cap level depends on whether you are inside or outside Greater London, and whether you are a single person or have a family. See GOV.UK for current figures. Pension-age claimants and some other groups are exempt from the cap.
Related guides
- →Universal CreditWorking-age renters claim housing costs through Universal Credit, not Housing Benefit.
- →Pension CreditPension Credit recipients are usually entitled to full Housing Benefit — how Pension Credit works and who qualifies.
- →Council TaxCouncil Tax Reduction is a separate scheme — how to apply and what discounts are available.
- →Benefits overviewAll the main UK benefits explained — means-tested, non-means-tested, and where to get help.