Help if your home is overcrowded
You 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 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
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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 sometimes 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 live in a 1 bedroom council flat.
The parents sleep in the living room and the children share the only bedroom.
Another tenant has a 2 bedroom flat in the same block but they live alone since their child moved out. They pay the bedroom tax and want to downsize because of this.
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 or 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
Find out how to complain to environmental health about private rented housing.
If you rent privately
Check how many bedrooms you can claim benefits for if you get universal credit or housing benefit.
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 confirm the health risks if you have young children or a health condition.
Temporary housing from the council
Temporary housing the council offers 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.
Last updated: 12 November 2025
