Housing Benefit calculator.
Housing Benefit still exists for pension-age renters, people in supported or temporary accommodation, and a few other groups. If you're working-age and in mainstream housing, you'll most likely claim the UC housing element instead. We cover both, side by side.
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Housing Benefit vs the UC housing element
Until 2018, Housing Benefit was the standard way to get help with rent in the UK. It still exists, but the path most people take has changed:
- Working-age, mainstream housing → claim Universal Credit; the housing element is built in. Use our UC calculator.
- Pension-age renters (or mixed-age couples already on pension-age benefits before 15 May 2019) → claim Housing Benefit, often alongside Pension Credit.
- Supported, exempt or temporary accommodation (e.g. women's refuges, hostels, council-arranged emergency housing) → claim Housing Benefit for the housing costs, plus UC for everything else.
For the great majority of working-age people, the answer is "you don't claim Housing Benefit — you claim UC and the housing element comes with it." Our combined calculator at the top of this page handles that automatically.
How much rent can be covered
Whether you claim Housing Benefit or the UC housing element, two rules cap how much rent will be paid:
- Local Housing Allowance (LHA) for private rentals. Your local LHA rate depends on your postcode (Broad Rental Market Area) and the number of bedrooms you're entitled to. LHA rates were uprated to the 30th percentile of local market rents in April 2024, then frozen for 2025/26.
- Bedroom Tax for social rentals. If you under-occupy by one bedroom your eligible rent is reduced by 14%; by two bedrooms or more, 25%.
The full LHA rate list is published by the Valuation Office Agency on gov.uk. Our calculator uses a conservative cap to give you a sensible ballpark — for the exact rate, search "LHA rates [your postcode]" on gov.uk.
The benefit cap
If you receive the housing element on top of other benefits, the total can hit the benefit cap:
- £25,323/yr for couples and families in Greater London.
- £22,020/yr elsewhere.
- £16,967/yr (London) or £14,753/yr (rest of UK) for single people without children.
You're exempt from the cap if anyone in the household gets PIP, Carer's Allowance or DLA, or if your earnings exceed the cap threshold (roughly £790/month for couples). Our calculator applies the cap automatically and flags it.
What about Discretionary Housing Payments?
If your eligible rent under LHA or the bedroom tax is less than your actual rent, you may qualify for a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) from your local council to bridge the gap. DHPs are time-limited, cash-limited and depend on each council's budget — they're not a guaranteed top-up. Apply through your council's website, usually under "housing" or "benefits."
Frequently asked questions.
Can I claim Housing Benefit if I'm working age?
In most cases, no — you'll claim Universal Credit instead, and the housing element comes with it. The exceptions are supported, exempt or temporary accommodation, where you claim Housing Benefit for housing costs alongside UC for the rest.
Does Housing Benefit cover my full rent?
Not necessarily. It's capped by the Local Housing Allowance for private renters or the "bedroom tax" for social renters. If your rent exceeds the cap, you have to make up the difference — or apply to your council for a Discretionary Housing Payment.
How is Housing Benefit paid?
For private renters it usually goes to you, then you pay the landlord. For social renters in some areas it goes direct to the landlord. The UC housing element is paid to you by default; you can ask for it to go direct to the landlord if there's a clear risk of rent arrears (an "Alternative Payment Arrangement").
Do I have to claim Housing Benefit if I move to UC?
If you're working-age and already on legacy Housing Benefit, a "natural" change of circumstances (e.g. moving home) usually moves you onto UC automatically. The DWP's "Managed Migration" process is also moving everyone over to UC by the end of 2026.
Will Housing Benefit be affected by my savings?
Yes. Above £6,000, tariff income of £1/week per £250 of savings is added to your assumed income. Above £16,000, you're generally not eligible — unless you're on Pension Credit Guarantee, where the £16,000 upper limit doesn't apply.