Changes to the benefit system
Under occupancy (bedroom tax)
If your landlord is a housing association, your benefit may be reduced by:
- 14% of the rent for one spare bedroom
- 25% of the rent for two or more spare bedrooms
You can check if you will be affected by the bedroom tax at gov.uk.
Benefit cap
There is a limit to the amount of benefits 16 to 64 year olds can get. This is known as a benefit cap.
The income you get from benefits is limited to:
- £423.46 a week for couples or single parents with children
- £283.71 a week for single people.
You won’t be affected by the benefit cap if you get any of the following benefits:
- Working Tax Credit
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer's Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance
- Employment and Support Allowance with the support component
- Guardian's Allowance
- Industrial Injuries Benefits
- Personal Independence Payment
- War Widow or War Widower's Pension.
Universal Credit
Universal Credit is a monthly payment that will gradually replace the following benefits:
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Employment and Support Allowance (income related)
- Income Support
- Jobseekers Allowance (income based)
If you are working age, you won’t normally be able to get housing benefit. You will need to apply for help through Universal Credit unless you live in temporary or supported accommodation.
If you are:
- living in temporary or supported accommodation, or
- you and any partner you have are both pension age
You can make a new claim for Housing Benefit.