How is it calculated?

When calculating Housing Benefit, we look at:

• your household income, including benefits and pensions
• your personal circumstances
• how much rent you pay
• what savings you have
• the number of bedrooms and the number of people in the property

Important Changes

In 2013 the Government introduced new rules for Housing Benefit:

• A ‘Cap’ on the total amount of benefits that working age people can receive if they’re not working. Only some people are affected.
• If you rent your home from a Housing Association your Housing Benefit may be reduced. This could happen if you’re of working age and your home is larger than you need. This is also known as the ‘bedroom tax’.