Bedroom Tax

What is the Bedroom Tax?

The amount of Housing Benefit you get is based on the number of bedrooms in your house, and how many people live in those rooms.

The bedroom tax is sometimes called the Under Occupation Charge or spare room subsidy.

If you rent a home with more bedrooms than you need, you may get less Housing Benefit or Universal Credit. You will need to pay the difference in rent yourself.

The amount that will be taken off your Universal Credit or Housing Benefit is:

• 14% for one extra bedroom

• 25% for two or more extra bedrooms

If your family is growing and you want to stay in a larger home, you will need to pay the charge for now.

How can we help?

If you’re not sure whether the Bedroom Tax affects you, or if you’re finding it hard to manage the reduction, we can support you.

Please contact us. We can connect you with our Income Team for help with benefits, grants, budgeting, or moving to a smaller home that better suits your needs.