Housing costs and Universal Credit
Renting from a private landlord
If you’re eligible for Universal Credit you can get help towards your rent and some service charges.
You usually get the extra amount for housing in your Universal Credit payment and have to pay it to your landlord.
You can apply for help with financial difficulties from your main Universal Credit payment.
You might also be able to get Council Tax Reduction.
How much you’ll get for housing
The amount of money you get for housing depends on:
- your household size
- your age
- where you live
If you’re under 35 and live alone
If you are under 35 and do not live with a partner or children, you’ll usually only be able to claim for a single room in a shared house. This is called the Local Housing Allowance shared accommodation rate (SAR).
You can use the Local Housing Allowance tool to find out the rate in your area. Select ‘shared accommodation’ for the number of bedrooms.
You can get more than the SAR if you:
- are a care leaver and under 25
- have previously lived in a hostel for homeless people for at least 3 months in total
- are an ex-offender managed under an active Multi-Agency Public Protection Agreement (MAPPA)
- are getting the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- are getting the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) at the middle or highest rate
- are getting Attendance Allowance or Constant Attendance Allowance
- are getting Armed Forces Independence Payment
- are a victim of domestic abuse
- are a victim of modern slavery
If you’re 35 or older and live alone
If you’re 35 or older and live alone, you can claim for a one-bedroom property. You can use the Local Housing Allowance tool to find out the rate in your area.
If you live with a partner or family
If you live with a partner or have children, the amount of money you get is based on how many bedrooms you need for your family.
The following are expected to share a bedroom:
- an adult couple
- 2 children under 16 of the same sex
- 2 children under 10 (regardless of sex)
The following can have their own bedroom:
- a single adult (16 or over)
- a child that would normally share but shared bedrooms are already taken, for example you have 3 children and 2 already share
- a couple or children who cannot share because of a disability or medical condition
- an overnight carer for you, your partner, your child or another adult - this is only if the carer does not live with you but sometimes has to stay overnight
You can use the Local Housing Allowance tool to find out the rate in your area.
If you live with someone who is 21 or older and is not your partner
The amount of money you get for housing will usually be reduced if you live with someone who is aged 21 or older and not your partner.
Your payment will not be reduced if you’re any of the following:
- getting the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) at the middle or highest rate
- getting the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- getting Attendance Allowance
- getting Armed Forces Independence Payment
- registered as blind
It also will not be reduced if the person aged 21 or older is any of the following:
- getting Pension Credit
- getting the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) at the middle or highest rate
- getting the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- getting Attendance Allowance
- getting Armed Forces Independence Payment
- getting Carer’s Allowance
- getting Carer Support Payment
- responsible for a child under 5
- a member of the armed forces away on operations, and is your child or step-child
- your sub-tenant, lodger or boarder
- a prisoner
If you pay rent on 2 homes
You can claim for rent on 2 homes at the same time if either of the following apply:
- you have moved out because of fear of violence or abuse, are paying rent somewhere else, and intend to come back
- you’ve started renting a new home with a disabled family member but it has not been adapted to their needs yet
If you’re behind on your rent
If you’re behind on your rent, the money you get for housing can be sent directly to your landlord. This is called an alternative payment arrangement (APA).
You can apply for an APA through your work coach. Your landlord can also make the application.
You could apply for an advance or hardship payment from your main Universal Credit payment.
If the money you get for housing does not cover all your rent
The extra amount of money you get for housing will not always cover your rent. You might need to pay the rest of your rent from your Universal Credit payment or other income.
You might be able to get extra help from your local council with your rent and other housing costs, for example a rent deposit or moving costs. This is called a ‘Discretionary Housing Payment’.
To apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment, contact your local council.