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Welfare Benefits Handbook 2025/26
This content was last updated:
01 Dec 2025
Chapter 6: The housing costs element
Welfare Benefits Handbook 2025/26
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Welfare Benefits Handbook 2025/26
Part 2: Universal credit
Chapter 6: The housing costs element
Back to previous
Chapter 6: The housing costs element
Key facts
1. Who can get a housing costs element
When you cannot get a housing costs element
2. The payment condition
Rent payments
Payments that are not eligible
Service charge payments
Payments that are not eligible
Extra conditions for social rented sector tenants and owner-occupiers
3. The liability condition
Liability to pay rent
People treated as liable to make payments
Another person is liable but is not paying
People treated as not liable to make payments
Contrived agreements
4. The occupation condition
Moving home
More than one home
Temporary accommodation while repairs are carried out
Fear of violence or abuse
Temporary absence from home
5. How the housing costs element is calculated: general rules
If you have more than one home
Extended benefit unit
Who counts as a non-dependant
People who are not non-dependants
The number of bedrooms you are allowed
Additional bedrooms
Temporary absence from home
What counts as a bedroom
Housing costs contributions
When no deduction is made
The amount of the deduction
6. The housing costs element for private rented sector tenants
Core rent
Jointly liable for payments
Cap rent
Categories of dwelling
Local housing allowance rates
7. The housing costs element for social rented sector tenants
Solely liable to make payments
Jointly liable to make payments
The bedroom tax
8. The housing costs element for owner-occupiers
The waiting period
Exceptions
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CPAG. "Chapter 6: The housing costs element." In
Welfare Benefits Handbook 2025/26.
, 2025. Accessed March 15, 2026.
CPAG,
https://askcpag.org.uk/?id=-263897CITANCHOR.
CPAG. "Chapter 6: The housing costs element." In
Welfare Benefits Handbook 2025/26.
, 2025. Accessed March 15, 2026. https://askcpag.org.uk/?id=-263897CITANCHOR.
Contributor(s):
CPAG
Title:
Welfare Benefits Handbook 2025/26
Site name:
CPAG
Publisher:
Publication date:
March 21, 2025
Date accessed:
March 15, 2026
URL:
https://askcpag.org.uk/?id=-263897CITANCHOR
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