Home Welfare rights
Help with housing costs
Housing costs
Always get a full benefit check to determine which benefits you are entitled to and the amounts you should receive. Then, whether you're a home owner or renting a property, use the checklist below for ideas of other ways to maximise your income and reduce your expenditure.
This checklist is not intended to be a comprehensive list of the benefits or help for which you might qualify and is not a full statement of the law. Get specialist advice where appropriate.
If you are an owner occupier
Your circumstances
What to check
More information
If you have a mortgage
You may qualify for loan payments from the Department for Work and Pensions to help with your mortgage interest if you get:
    •universal credit (UC); or
    •income support (IS); or
    •income-based jobseeker's allowance (JSA); or
    •income-related employment and support allowance (ESA); or
    •pension credit (PC).
In some circumstances, you may also qualify if you are not getting IS, income-based JSA, income-related ESA or PC just because your income is too high.
This help is called ‘a support for mortgage interest loan’ or 'support for mortgage interest'.
Unless you get PC, there is a waiting period before you can get the loan payments.
Description: warning-icon-v3 It is advisable to get independent financial advice before taking out a loan.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
GOV.UK:
If you pay service charges
UC: If you get UC, check whether you get a housing costs element within your UC for your eligible service charges, and that the amount awarded for them is correct.
To qualify, you or your partner must be liable to pay them as a condition of occupying your home (or be treated as liable to pay them) and, unless you have a shared ownership tenancy, must not have any earned income.
Note that:
    •You may only get a housing costs element after a 'waiting period’.
    •If you have a shared ownership tenancy (and so you also pay rent) your service charge payments are not calculated under the rules for owner occupiers but under the rules for people in rented accommodation. See below: If you are renting.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
GOV.UK:
Housing benefit (HB): If you get HB and have a shared ownership tenancy, check whether you get help with eligible service charges within your HB, and that the amount awarded for them is correct. To qualify, you or your partner must be liable to pay the service charges as a condition of occupying your home (or be treated as liable to pay them).
Note that: Unless you and your partner are over state pension age, you can now only make a new claim for HB in very limited circumstances. You are expected to claim UC instead.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
GOV.UK:
Other means-tested benefits: If you are entitled to IS, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, or PC, check whether it can include an amount for your service charges, and if so, that the amount awarded for them is correct.
To qualify, you or your partner must count as liable to pay the service charges (or be treated as liable to pay them).
You normally must have been getting IS, income-based JSA, or income-related ESA for a 39-week ‘waiting period’ before help with your service charges is included. There is no waiting period if you get PC.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
If you pay ground rent
UC: if you get UC, you cannot get a UC housing costs element to cover your ground rent.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
HB: if you are entitled to HB and are a leaseholder with a lease of 21 years or less, check whether your ground rent is included in the calculation of your housing benefit entitlement.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
Other means-tested benefits: If you are a leaseholder with a lease of more than 21 years, and you get IS, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, or PC, check whether it includes an amount for your ground rent.
You normally must have been getting IS, income-based JSA, or income-related ESA for a 39-week ‘waiting period’ before help with your ground rent is included. There is no waiting period if you get PC.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
If you are renting
Your circumstances
What to check
More information
If you or your partner are liable for rent and/or service charges
Universal credit (UC): If you qualify for UC, you can get a housing costs element to help with your rent and eligible service charges.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
Housing benefit (HB): if you qualify for it, HB helps with rent and service charges.
Note that: If you are single and under pension age, or in a couple and you and/or your partner are under pension age, you can only make a new claim for HB in very limited circumstances.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
GOV.UK:
If you are not named on the tenancy agreement and someone else is liable to pay the rent and/or service charges for the property you live in but is not doing so
UC: if you get UC, check whether you or your partner can be treated as liable to make payments for rent and service charges. You can be treated as liable even if you are not actually liable, if:
    •the person liable to make payments is not doing so; and
    •you have to make payments in order to stay in your home; and
    •it is reasonable to treat you as liable; and
    •it would be unreasonable to expect you to make other arrangements.
If the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) refuses to treat you as liable to pay rent and service charges in this situation, check information from our Judicial Review Project.
Note that: There are other circumstances when you can be treated as liable to make payments, and some when you are treated as not liable.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
CPAG's Judicial Review (JR) Project (England and Wales):
HB: if you get HB, check whether you can be treated as liable to make payments for rent and service charges. You can be treated as liable even if you are not actually liable, if you have to make payments in order to stay in your home because the person liable to make them is not doing so; and either:
    •you are the former partner of the liable person; or
    •it is reasonable to treat you as liable.
Note that: There are other circumstances when you can be treated as liable to make payments, and some when you are treated as not liable.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
If you are a joint tenant and one or more of the other joint tenants has left and is no longer paying their share of the rent (sometimes called an ‘untidy tenancy’ or 'absent joint tenant case')
UC: If you get UC, check the rules on how the total eligible rent and service charges can be apportioned when calculating your entitlement to a housing costs element. If it would be unreasonable to calculate your housing costs element (or your 'core rent' if you are a private rented sector tenant) in the usual way, by including the total number of joint tenants in the calculation, the DWP can apportion the eligible rent and service charges differently.
If the DWP refuses to apportion the rent and service charges differently, consider using our tool to create a note to request a mandatory reconsideration of the decision and check information from our Judicial Review Project.
Note that: Each joint tenant is jointly and severally liable for the whole amount of the rent and service charges due under the tenancy.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
Private rented sector tenants:
Social rented sector sector tenants:
CPAG's Welfare Rights Bulletin:
CPAG Welfare rights tool (for subscribers):
CPAG's Judicial Review Project (England and Wales):
HB: If you get HB, check the rules on how the eligible rent and service charges for the property can be apportioned when calculating your entitlement to HB. If the social sector rules apply, or to work out your ‘cap rent’ if the local housing allowance rules apply, the local authority must have regard to all the circumstances, in particular the number of people liable and the proportion of rent paid by each of them.
Note that: Each joint tenant is jointly and severally liable for the whole amount of the rent and service charges due under the tenancy.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
If the social sector rules apply:
How your rent is restricted
If the local housing allowance rules apply:
How your rent is restricted
If a deduction is being made from your UC housing costs element or housing benefit because you have a non-dependant living with you
UC: If you get UC, deductions (‘housing costs contributions’) may be made from your UC housing costs element for any ‘non-dependants’ in your ‘extended benefit unit’.
    •Check who does and does not count as a non-dependant.
    •Check whether an exception applies which means no housing costs contribution should be deducted.
    •If a deduction can be made for a non-dependant, a fixed amount should be deducted, check that the amount deducted is correct.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
HB: If you get HB, a deduction may be made from your HB for a ‘non-dependant’.
    •Check who does and does not count as a non-dependant.
    •Check whether an exception applies which means no non-dependant deduction should be made from your housing benefit.
    •If a non-dependant deduction can be made, check that the amount deducted is correct.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
If your benefit is reduced because a non-dependant lives with you but the non-dependant is unable to pay the expected contribution towards your rent, consider applying for a discretionary housing payment.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
CPAG in Scotland:
GOV.UK:
If you are affected by the bedroom tax
The amount of your UC housing costs element or HB may be reduced if:
    •you are living in a property with more bedrooms than you are thought to need; and
    •for UC, you are a ‘social rented sector tenant’; or
    •for HB, the ‘social sector rules’ apply to you.
This reduction is known as the ‘bedroom tax’. Check whether you should be exempt from the bedroom tax because of your circumstances.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
If you get UC:
The bedroom tax
If you are not exempt from the bedroom tax, check:
    •the number of bedrooms you are entitled to under the rules; and
    •whether any of the circumstances which entitle you to one or more additional bedrooms apply; and
    •for HB, whether the imposition of the bedroom tax should be delayed.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
If you get UC:
If you get HB:
If you are affected by the bedroom tax, consider applying for a discretionary housing payment.
Note that: If you live in Scotland and are affected by the bedroom tax, you are likely to be awarded a discretionary housing payment if you apply to your local authority. This is because the Scottish government has provided extra funds to local authorities to mitigate the effect of the bedroom tax through discretionary housing payments.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
CPAG in Scotland:
GOV.UK:
If you get UC and are a private rented sector tenant and your UC housing element is less than your actual rent because of the effect of the local housing allowance
The local housing allowance that applies to you depends on the number of bedrooms you are allowed under the rules (and whether the shared accommodation category applies to you – see the row below). Make sure that the local housing allowance used is correct by checking:
    •the number of bedrooms you are entitled to under the rules; and
    •whether you are entitled to any additional bedrooms.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
If you:
    •are aged under 35; and
    •are single; and
    •do not have any children for whom you are responsible or non-dependants living with you,
the usual rule is that the amount of help you get with your rent is based on the local housing allowance for one-bedroom shared accommodation rather than one-bedroom self-contained accommodation.
As the latter may be more, check whether you fall within an exception which means the shared accommodation rate should not apply to you.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
Categories of dwelling
If your UC housing costs element does not cover all of your rent, consider applying for a discretionary housing payment.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
CPAG in Scotland:
GOV.UK:
If you get HB and the help you get with your rent is restricted under the local housing allowance rules
Check whether you have an ‘excluded tenancy’. If so, your rent should not be restricted by the local housing allowance rules (but if you are a housing association tenant, unless an exception applies your rent may still be restricted by the social sector rules – ie, the bedroom tax may apply).
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
If you do not have an excluded tenancy, your local housing allowance is determined by the ‘category of dwelling’ that applies to you. This depends on the number of bedrooms you are allowed under the rules (and whether the shared accommodation category applies to you - see the row below). Make sure that the local housing allowance used is correct by checking:
    •the number of bedrooms you are entitled to under the rules; and
    •whether you are entitled to any additional bedrooms.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
If you are only allowed one bedroom under the rules, and the local housing allowance which has been applied to you is for one-bedroom shared accommodation rather than one-bedroom self-contained accommodation, check that this is correct, given your circumstances. The local housing allowance for the latter may be more.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
Check whether the restriction to the amount of help you get with your rent can be delayed.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
If your HB does not cover all of your rent, consider applying for a discretionary housing payment.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
CPAG in Scotland:
GOV.UK:
If you are getting UC housing cost element or HB but are unable to pay all your housing costs
If your UC housing costs element or HB does not cover your full housing costs (perhaps because the amount awarded has been restricted as a result of the bedroom tax or the local housing allowance rules, or because deductions are being made for non-dependants who live with you, or because of the effect of the benefit cap), consider applying for a discretionary housing payment.
If you are refused a discretionary housing payment and live in England or Wales, check information from our Judicial Review Project.
Note that: If you live in Scotland and are affected by the bedroom tax or the benefit cap, you are likely to be awarded a discretionary housing payment if you apply to your local authority. This is because the Scottish government has provided extra funds to local authorities to mitigate the effects of the bedroom tax and benefit cap through discretionary housing payments.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
CPAG's Judicial Review (JR) Project (England and Wales):
GOV.UK:
If you are affected by the benefit cap
Your circumstances
What to check
More information
If you are getting universal credit (UC) or housing benefit (HB) and are affected by the benefit cap
Check if you could fit into any of the circumstances that mean the benefit cap should not apply, in order to increase your income. Circumstances in which the benefit cap might not apply include during an initial ‘grace period’ or if you or your partner:
    •are working and earn enough, if the benefit cap would be applied through your UC; or
    •are getting certain benefits, or certain amounts included in your benefit.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
When the benefit cap does not apply
If the benefit cap applies, consider applying for a discretionary housing payment.
Note that: If you live in Scotland and are affected by the benefit cap, you are likely to be awarded a discretionary housing payment if you apply to your local authority. This is because the Scottish government has provided extra funds to local authorities to mitigate the effects of the benefit cap through discretionary housing payments.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
CPAG's Judicial Review (JR) Project (England and Wales):
GOV.UK:
If you have experienced domestic abuse
Your circumstances
What to check
More information
If you have left your usual home due to domestic abuse but intend to return to it
If you are liable to pay rent and/or service charges for your current home and your usual home, check whether you can get a universal credit (UC) housing costs element or housing benefit (HB) for both homes.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
If you are getting UC:
Fear of violence or abuse
If you are only liable to pay rent and/or service charges for your usual home, check whether you can get a UC housing costs element or HB, even while you are not living there.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
If you are getting UC:
Fear of violence or abuse
If you are getting HB:
Temporary absence from home
If you are a social rented sector tenant and your home has been adapted under the ‘sanctuary scheme’
If your home has been adapted under the ‘sanctuary scheme’ and you have more bedrooms in your property than you are considered to need, check whether your circumstances mean your UC housing costs element or HB should not be reduced by the bedroom tax, if the bedroom tax has been applied to you.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
If you are getting UC:
The bedroom tax
If you are getting HB:
Sanctuary schemes
If you get UC and are a private rented sector tenant and your UC housing element is less than your actual rent because of the effect of the local housing allowance
If you:
    •are aged under 35; and
    •are single; and
    •do not have any children for whom you are responsible or non-dependants living with you
the usual rule is that the amount of help you get with your rent is based on the local housing allowance for one-bedroom shared accommodation.
As one exception to this rule relates to people who have experienced domestic abuse, check whether this applies to you. If it does, the help you get with your rent should be based on the local housing allowance for a one-bedroom self-contained accommodation, which may be more.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
If you get HB and the help you get with your rent is restricted under the local housing allowance rules
If you are only allowed one bedroom under the local housing allowance rules, and the local housing allowance which has been applied to you is for one-bedroom shared accommodation rather than one-bedroom self-contained accommodation, check whether this is correct given your circumstances. You may not count as a ‘young individual’ if you have experienced domestic abuse. The local housing allowance for one-bedroom self-contained accommodation may be more.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
If you are liable for council tax for a property
Is the property's council tax band too high?
Your circumstances
What to check
More information
If you think the council tax band your property is in is too high
You may be able to challenge the council tax banding (called making a proposal), if you are within the time limit for doing so. The time limit is normally six months from the date you first become liable for council tax for the property. In some circumstances you cannot make a proposal.
In England and Wales
GOV.UK:
In Scotland
Scottish Assessors Association:

Should the property be exempt from council tax?
In some circumstances, properties are exempt from council tax. For full details of when a property is exempt, check your local authority’s website. Examples of some of the situations when a property may be exempt are listed below. There may be other circumstances when a property is exempt.
Your circumstances
What to check
More information
If the property is unoccupied
In some circumstances an unoccupied property is exempt from council tax, either for a certain period or indefinitely.
Check your local authority’s website to see if the unoccupied property should be exempt from council tax.
Note that: in some circumstances you may pay more council tax on an unoccupied property
In England and Wales
GOV.UK:
In Scotland
mygov.scot:
If you are a student and live in the property
If you are a student and:
    •live alone; or
    •only live with other students and/or people in certain other situations
the property may be exempt from council tax.
Check your local authority’s website to see if the property should be exempt from council tax.
In England and Wales
Disability Rights Handbook (for subscribers):
GOV.UK:
In Scotland
Benefits for Students in Scotland Handbook:
mygov.scot:
If you are a student and live in a student hall of residence
The property may be exempt if it is a student hall of residence.
Check your local authority’s website to see if the property should be exempt from council tax.
In England and Wales
GOV.UK:
In Scotland
Benefits for Students in Scotland Handbook:
mygov.scot:
If you are a student and don’t live in the property
In some circumstances the property may be exempt from council tax.
Check your local authority’s website to see if the property should be exempt from council tax.
In England and Wales
Disability Rights Handbook (for subscribers):
GOV.UK:
In Scotland
Benefits for Students in Scotland Handbook:
mygov.scot:
If you are under 18
If you are under the age of 18 and live alone or only live with other people who are under 18 or who are in certain other situations, the property may be exempt from council tax.
Check your local authority’s website to see if the property should be exempt from council tax.
In England and Wales
Disability Rights Handbook (for subscribers):
GOV.UK:
In Scotland
Benefits for Students in Scotland Handbook:
mygov.scot:
If you count as ‘severely mentally impaired’
If you count as ‘severely mentally impaired’ and you:
    •live alone; or
    •only live with other people who count as ‘severely mentally impaired' and/or who are in certain other situations
the property may be exempt from council tax.
Check your local authority’s website to see if the property should be exempt from council tax.
Disability Rights Handbook (for subscribers):
In England and Wales
GOV.UK
In Scotland
mygov.scot:
If you live in Scotland or Wales and are a ‘care leaver’
If you live in Scotland or Wales and are a ‘care leaver’ and you:
    •live alone; or
    •only live with other people who count as ‘care leavers and/or who are in certain other situations
the property you live in may be exempt from council tax.
Check your local authority’s website to see if the property should be exempt from council tax.
In Scotland
In Wales
GOV.WALES:
If you live in England or Wales, either in one of at least two dwellings in a single property or in an annexe to a main property
The dwelling or annexe may be exempt from council tax if:
    •you live in one of at least two dwellings in a single property, and you count as a dependant relative of someone in one of the other dwellings; or
    •you live in an annexe to a main property and the annexe cannot be let separately to the main property.
Check your local authority’s website to see if the property should be exempt from council tax.
Disability Rights Handbook (for subscribers):
If the property is in Scotland and is owned by a registered housing association and is a ‘trial dwelling’
If the property is owned by a registered housing association and is a ‘trial dwelling’ for people over pension age or with a disability, it may be exempt from council tax.
Check your local authority’s website to see if the property should be exempt from council tax.
mygov.scot:
If the property is in Scotland and counts as ‘prescribed housing support accommodation’
In some circumstances the property may be exempt from council tax.
Check your local authority’s website to see if the property should be exempt from council tax.
mygov.scot:
If you live in armed forces accommodation
If you live in armed forces accommodation which is owned by the Secretary of State for Defence, the property is exempt from council tax.
Check your local authority’s website to see if the property should be exempt from council tax.
In England and Wales
GOV.UK:
In Scotland
mygov.scot:
If you are a member of a visiting force
If you are a member of a visiting force and are not a GB citizen or ordinarily resident in the UK, the property you live in may be exempt from council tax.
Check your local authority’s website to see if the property should be exempt from council tax.
In England and Wales
GOV.UK:
In Scotland
mygov.scot:
These are just examples, there are other situations when a property may be exempt from council tax. Check your local authority’s website for details.
Are you entitled to a disability reduction?
Your circumstances
What to check
More information
If you or someone you live with is ‘substantially and permanently disabled’
Check if you qualify for a council tax disability reduction if someone living in the property is ‘substantially and permanently disabled’ and if, because they are disabled, the property has either:
    •a room which is predominantly used by them and necessary to meet their needs (which is not a bathroom, kitchen or toilet); or
    •an extra bathroom or kitchen which is necessary to meet their needs; or
    •enough floor space for a wheelchair.
This must be essential or of major importance to the disabled person’s wellbeing because of 'the nature and extent of [their] disability'.
You must apply for the reduction each financial year. If you qualify, check if the conditions for a disability reduction were met for previous years as an application for a disability reduction can be backdated for up to 6 years and possibly longer.
Disability Rights Handbook (for subscribers):
In England
GOV.UK:
In Scotland
mygov.scot:
In Wales
GOV.WALES:
Are you entitled to a discount?
The council tax payable for a property is based on the assumption that there are at least two adults living in it. If there are fewer than two adults living in the property, you may qualify for a discount. To count as living in the property it must be your ‘sole or main residence’ and anyone aged under 18 is ignored. When working out the number of people living in the property, people in certain situations are ‘disregarded’ (ie, not counted).
Your circumstances
What to check
More information
Can anyone who counts as living in the property be disregarded?
Check whether you and anyone else in the property can be ‘disregarded’ when calculating how many people live in the property. For further details, check your local authority’s website.
Disability Rights Handbook (for subscribers):
In England
GOV.UK:
In Scotland
mygov.scot:
In Wales:
GOV.WALES:
If everyone living in the property, including you, can be ‘disregarded’ for council tax, or are under 18
Check your entitlement to a 50% council tax discount. For further details, check your local authority’s website.
In England and Wales
GOV.UK:
In Scotland
mygov.scot:
If you are either single or all but one person living in the property is either ‘disregarded’ for council tax, or is under 18
Check your entitlement to a 25% council tax single person’s discount on your local authority’s website.
In England and Wales
GOV.UK:
In Scotland
mygov.scot:
If the property is unoccupied
Some local authorities award a discount for empty properties in some situations and for certain periods. Check your local authority’s website.
Note that: in some circumstances you may pay more council tax on an unoccupied property
In England and Wales
GOV.UK:
In Scotland
mygov.scot:
Are you entitled to a council tax reduction?
Your circumstances
What to check
More information
If you have a low income
Check your entitlement to main council tax reduction (CTR) (sometimes known as ‘council tax support’).
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
CPAG in Scotland:
Council tax reduction
If you live in England or Scotland with another adult who is not part of your ‘family’ for benefit purposes, and who has a low income
Check your entitlement to second adult rebate (also called alternative maximum council tax reduction).
If you qualify for main CTR and second adult rebate you get whichever is higher.
Note that: If you live in England and the working-age CTR rules apply to you (normally if you or your partner are under pension age, the working age rules apply), your local authority’s CTR scheme may not include second adult rebate. Check your local authority’s scheme for details.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
If you live in Scotland and your property is in council tax band E, F, G or H and your income is below set figures
Check your entitlement to Band E, F, G or H CTR (this is paid instead of, but not in addition to, main council tax reduction or second adult rebate if it entitles you to more).
CPAG in Scotland:
Could you get a discretionary council tax reduction?
Your circumstances
What to check
More information
If you live in England or Wales and are unable to afford your council tax
Consider applying for a discretionary council tax reduction (CTR) if you are struggling to pay your council tax bill. Your local authority has the discretion to reduce your council tax bill to zero.
Before considering an application for discretionary CTR, your local authority will normally expect you to have applied for CTR if you would qualify for it, although it is not necessary for you to be getting CTR to get discretionary CTR. Check your local authority’s website for details of how to apply.
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook (for subscribers):
Advicelocal:
If you need help with the utility bills for your home, see Help with utility and broadband costs
Last reviewed: 23 August 2024