Claim Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support

Bedroom tax - size criteria

If you rent from a housing association, your Housing Benefit might be reduced if you have more bedrooms than the rules say you need.

If you're a private tenant, your housing benefit will not be reduced due to bedroom tax.

Reduction amount

Your Housing Benefit will be reduced by:

  • 14% if you have 1 extra room
  • 25% if you have 2 or more extra rooms

Number of rooms you can have

The government rules say one bedroom is allocated for:

  • A couple.
  • One member of a couple where they're unable to share a bedroom due to their disabilities
  • A person who is 16 or older.
  • 2 children of the same sex up to the age of 16.
  • 2 children who are under 10.
  • Any other child - other than a foster child or child whose main home is elsewhere.
  • Approved foster carers where a child has been fostered or the claimant has been approved in the previous 12 months. 
  • A non-resident carer or group of carers providing overnight care - from 1 April 2017 this care can be for a disabled child or disabled non-dependant adult as well as for the tenant or their partner.
  • Severely disabled children who are unable to share a room with their siblings - exemptions can apply where certain disability benefits are in payment.
  • An adult son or daughter who normally lives with you who is currently deployed on operations and who intends to return home.

Check if you're affected

Use the welfare reform calculator to see how you could be affected.

If you're affected by the bedroom tax and your Housing Benefit doesn’t cover your rent, you’ll be expected to pay your landlord the difference.

Welfare reform calculator

Help if you're affected

Here are some things you may wish to consider if you're affected by bedroom tax: