How many bedrooms you can claim benefits for
The number of bedrooms you can get benefits for depends on the age, sex and number of people in your household.
Private renters
The most you can get towards your rent is your local housing allowance (LHA) rate.
Local housing allowance is often less than your rent. You have to pay anything that is not covered from other income or benefits.
Most single private renters under 35 can only get the shared accommodation rate. But there are exceptions and you might get a higher LHA rate.
Council and housing association tenants
Your benefit is reduced if you have spare bedrooms. This is known as the bedroom tax. You must pay the rent shortfall yourself.
1. Check how many people you can claim for
The rules are different for universal credit and housing benefit.
If you get universal credit housing element
Only include:
you and any dependent children
your partner if you live with them
any other adults who live with you but do not pay rent
Do not include lodgers or other joint tenants, except for your partner.
If you get housing benefit
Count everyone who lives in your home including lodgers and other joint tenants.
If your children have 2 homes
Your children can only be included in the benefit claim and bedroom entitlement of 1 person.
With UC, you can jointly agree which one of you is the main carer.
If you cannot agree, the DWP decides based on the actual arrangements. For example, where the children spend the most time.
With housing benefit, the main carer is the person who gets child benefit for the children.
You can apply for discretionary housing payments (DHPs) if your children need a bedroom but are not included in your UC or housing benefit claim.
2. Work out your bedroom entitlement
You can usually claim for 1 bedroom for:
you - and a partner if claiming as a couple
each other couple (only if you claim HB)
each other person aged 16 or over (even if part of a couple if you claim UC)
2 children under 16 of the same sex
2 children under 10 of any sex
any other child under 16
Foster children
You get payment for 1 extra bedroom if you have a foster child placed with you, or for up to 12 months between placements.
Overnight carers
You get payment for an extra bedroom if anyone in your household receives overnight care on a regular basis from a non resident carer and gets any of the following benefits:
PIP - daily living component
DLA - middle or high care component
attendance allowance - higher rate if you get HB; any rate if you get UC
Disabled person who can't share a bedroom
You get payment for an extra bedroom if due to disability:
an adult cannot share with their partner
a child cannot share with another child
The disabled person must get one of the following benefits:
PIP - daily living component
DLA - middle or high care component
attendance allowance - higher rate
You can only claim for a maximum of 4 bedrooms if you rent privately.
3. Report any changes in your household
Your bedroom entitlement could increase if:
a friend or family member moves in
you have a baby, adopt a child or become a foster carer
your child reaches an age where they're no longer expected to share
a disabled household member cannot share or needs an overnight carer
Your bedroom entitlement could go down if a household member moves out or is away for longer than the rules allow.
If you get housing benefit, it could mean you have to move to universal credit.
Find out more about:
Household members who are away
You can include a household member in your claim if they're only away temporarily.
How long you can include them for depends on:
where they go
why they are away
how they are related to you
which benefit you claim
You cannot usually continue to claim for a household member who you do not expect to return within the temporary absence time limits.
Partners and dependent children
Include them in your claim if they're away in England, Scotland or Wales and expected to return and occupy their room within:
6 months if you get universal credit
12 months if you get housing benefit
They can usually be away for any reason. For example, working or in hospital.
Children in local authority care
If you get universal credit, a child who is taken into care continues to count as part of your household for 6 months if they were included in your claim immediately before this.
Your housing element may go down after 6 months unless your child returns home.
Adult children in the armed forces
If your child or stepchild is away on operations, you can include them indefinitely if they:
lived with you before they went away
intend to return home when not on operations
Household members in prison
If you get universal credit, you can include a household member for their first 6 months in prison even if you don't expect them to return.
Your bedroom entitlement could go down after this unless they return to the family home.
If you get housing benefit, you can include a household member in prison for up to:
13 weeks - if sentenced
52 weeks - if on remand
You must expect them to return home within this time. You cannot include them if they decide not to return or end up spending longer in prison.
Absences abroad
You cannot usually include a household member who leaves England, Scotland or Wales unless you expect them to return within:
1 month if you get universal credit
4 weeks if you get housing benefit
This does not apply to adult children in the armed forces who are away on operations.
4. If your benefit is wrongly calculated
You can ask for a review of a:
Find out more about challenging a benefits decision from Citizens Advice.
Last updated: 9 March 2023
