Help if your home is overcrowded
Your home could count as overcrowded if you do not have a separate bedroom for:
each couple in your home
each single adult aged 21 or over
2 young people aged 10 to 20 of the same sex
2 children under 10 of any sex
This is called the bedroom standard.
It is the usual overcrowding measure for council housing.
Some councils use another measure for overcrowding.
Apply for a bigger council or housing association home
You usually go on a council housing waiting list if you apply for a larger home.
You should get some priority if you're overcrowded.
Check your council's allocations policy to see how they measure overcrowding.
Council housing register postcode lookup
What is your location?
Transfers and home swaps
You can apply for a transfer if you're a council or housing association tenant.
You could also try to swap homes with another council or housing association tenant. This is called a mutual exchange.
You and the other tenant need permission from your landlords before you swap homes.
Example: Home swap
A couple with 2 young daughters lives in a 1 bedroom council flat.
The parents sleep in the living room. The children share the only bedroom.
Another tenant has a 2 bedroom flat in the same block but they live alone because their child moved out. They pay the bedroom tax and want to downsize.
These tenants could swap homes with the council's permission.
Your landlord can refuse a swap if you or the other tenant would have:
more space than you need
still be overcrowded after you move
Get help from environmental health
An environmental health officer from the council could inspect your home.
They look at risks from problems like:
overcrowding
damp and mould
other bad housing conditions
Ask your council for contact details for their environmental health team.
Should you stay in your overcrowded home?
Do not give up a council or housing association home to rent privately.
Private renters usually have:
higher rents
shorter tenancies
less protection from eviction
It's usually better to ask for a transfer.
Make a homelessness application
Ask the council for homeless help if it's not reasonable for you to live in your home.
For example, if overcrowding causes damp or condensation that puts your health at risk.
Ask your doctor to give you a letter or report about the health risks if you have young children or a health condition.
Temporary housing from the council
Temporary housing from the council must be suitable. but the standards can be lower.
Temporary housing must not be illegally overcrowded but it might not meet the bedroom standard.
Do not leave your home before the council offers you somewhere more suitable.
The council might decide you're intentionally homeless if you leave when it's reasonable to stay.
If you rent privately
Check how many bedrooms you can claim benefits for if you get universal credit or housing benefit.
Last updated: 15 January 2026
