What is the ‘Bedroom Tax’?

The ‘Bedroom Tax’ (also known as under-occupation) is a change to Housing Benefit entitlement. Under the ‘Bedroom Tax’ if you live in a housing association or council property that is deemed to have one or more spare bedrooms your housing benefit is likely to be reduced.

What is classified as a ‘spare’ bedroom?

You are allowed one bedroom for:

Each adult couple
Each other person aged 16 or over
Two children of the same sex aged under 16
Two children under 10, regardless of their sex
Any other child

Extra bedrooms can be allowed for:

Approved foster carers
Adult children serving away as members of the Armed Forces
Overnight carers
Adult children who are students living away from home
Members of a couple when one of them has a disability which means they cannot share a room (to be eligible the disabled partner must get a disability benefit)
Disabled children who cannot share a bedroom with another child because of her/his disability (the child must be in receipt of middle or high rate DLA care and the Local Authority must be satisfied that the room cannot be shared.)

Will the ‘Bedroom Tax’ affect me?

You will be affected by the ‘bedroom tax’ if:

You’re classed as having a spare bedroom
You’re aged between 16 and pension credit age
You receive Housing Benefit (or the housing element of Universal Credit) while living in a housing association or council property.

Use Citizens Advice’s bedroom calculator to find out how many bedrooms your family may be entitled to.

What is classified as a ‘spare’ bedroom?

You are allowed one bedroom for:

Each adult couple
Each other person aged 16 or over
Two children of the same sex aged under 16
Two children under 10, regardless of their sex
Any other child

Extra bedrooms can be allowed for:

Approved foster carers
Adult children serving away as members of the Armed Forces
Overnight carers
Adult children who are students living away from home
Members of a couple when one of them has a disability which means they cannot share a room (to be eligible the disabled partner must get a disability benefit)
Disabled children who cannot share a bedroom with another child because of her/his disability (the child must be in receipt of middle or high rate DLA care and the Local Authority must be satisfied that the room cannot be shared.)