Housing Benefit

The changes mean that some people will get less Housing Benefit than they do now.

If you live in any council or housing association home and you have one or more ‘spare’ bedrooms, your Housing Benefit may be reduced.

You may have heard this called the ‘Bedroom Tax’.

If you have one spare bedroom, your Housing Benefit will be cut by 14 per cent of the rent you are charged every week.

If you have two or more spare bedrooms you will lose 25 per cent.

If your benefit is cut you will have to pay PCH the difference between your Housing Benefit award and your rent charged.

You will NOT be affected if:

• You live in a one bedroom flat or bedsit, or if
• You or your partner are old enough to receive Pension Credits.

You can check if you will be affected by the Bedroom Tax by using our Bedroom Tax Calculator.