Housing Benefit Rates 2026/27
The figures councils use to work out Housing Benefit from April 2026: personal allowances, premiums, capital limits, non-dependant deductions and the spare room reduction — and who can still make a new claim.
Who can claim Housing Benefit
Housing Benefit is being replaced by Universal Credit. You can only make a new claim if:
- you have reached State Pension age (as a couple, both of you have, or one of you has and started claiming Pension Credit as a couple before 15 May 2019), or
- you live in supported, sheltered or temporary housing.
Otherwise, help with rent comes through the housing element of Universal Credit.
How your eligible rent is set
- Private renters: your eligible rent is your Local Housing Allowance rate or your actual rent, whichever is lower.
- Council and housing association tenants: your actual rent plus eligible service charges (not heating or water), reduced by 14% if you have one spare bedroom or 25% if you have two or more.
Your council then compares your income — including benefits, pensions and savings over £6,000 — with your applicable amount, built from the allowances and premiums below.
Personal allowances (weekly)
| Working age | 2025/26 | 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|
| Single: Under 25 | £72.90 | £75.65 |
| Single: 25 or over | £92.05 | £95.55 |
| Single: Entitled to main phase ESA | £92.05 | £95.55 |
| Lone parent: Under 18 | £72.90 | £75.65 |
| Lone parent: 18 or over | £92.05 | £95.55 |
| Lone parent: Entitled to main phase ESA | £92.05 | £95.55 |
| Couple: Both under 18 | £110.15 | £114.35 |
| Couple: One or both 18 or over | £144.65 | £150.15 |
| Couple: Claimant entitled to main phase ESA | £144.65 | £150.15 |
| Dependent children | £84.66 | £87.88 |
| State Pension age | 2025/26 | 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|
| Single or lone parent (State Pension age or over) | £244.40 | £256.00 |
| Couple (State Pension age or over) | £366.00 | £383.35 |
| Single or lone parent (reached state pension age on or after 1 April 2021) | £227.10 | £238.00 |
| Couple (both reached state pension age on or after 1 April 2021) | £346.60 | £363.25 |
Row labels as DWP prints them.
Premiums (weekly)
| Premium | 2025/26 | 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|
| Family | £19.48 | £20.22 |
| Lone parent rate | £22.20 | £22.20 |
| Disability: Single | £43.20 | £44.85 |
| Disability: Couple | £61.65 | £64.00 |
| Enhanced disability: Single | £21.20 | £22.00 |
| Enhanced disability: Disabled child | £32.75 | £33.99 |
| Enhanced disability: Couple | £30.25 | £31.40 |
| Severe disability: Single | £82.90 | £86.05 |
| Severe disability: Couple (lower rate) | £82.90 | £86.05 |
| Severe disability: Couple (higher rate) | £165.80 | £172.10 |
Savings and capital
| Rule | Working age | Pension age |
|---|---|---|
| Upper limit | £16,000 | £16,000; no limit with Pension Credit Guarantee Credit |
| Ignored | £6,000 | £10,000 |
| Tariff income on the rest | £1 a week per £250 or part | £1 a week per £500 or part |
"Pension age" here means above the qualifying age for Pension Credit.
Non-dependant deductions (weekly)
Taken off your Housing Benefit for each other adult (aged 18 or over, not your partner) who lives with you.
| Non-dependant | 2025/26 | 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|
| Not in paid work | £19.65 | £20.40 |
| In work — gross income less than £192 a week | £19.65 | £20.40 |
| In work — gross income £192 to £278.99 a week | £45.15 | £46.85 |
| In work — gross income £279 to £364.99 a week | £62.00 | £64.35 |
| In work — gross income £365 to £484.99 a week | £101.35 | £105.20 |
| In work — gross income £485 to £604.99 a week | £115.45 | £119.85 |
| In work — gross income £605 and above a week | £126.65 | £131.45 |
Earnings disregards (weekly)
| Disregard | 2026/27 |
|---|---|
| Standard (single claimant) | £5.00 |
| Couple | £10.00 |
| Higher (special occupations/circumstances) | £20.00 |
| Lone parent | £25.00 |
The first part of your weekly earnings that the council ignores, unchanged from 2025/26.
Claiming, tax and the benefit cap
- Apply through your local council, or as part of a Pension Credit claim.
- You can claim up to 13 weeks in advance (17 weeks if you are 60 or over).
- Housing Benefit is tax-free.
- The benefit cap applies to most people aged 16 or over who have not reached State Pension age.
Frequently asked questions
Who can still claim Housing Benefit?
Housing Benefit is being replaced by Universal Credit. You can only make a new claim if you have reached State Pension age, or you live in supported, sheltered or temporary housing. A couple can claim at pension age if both have reached State Pension age, or if one has and started claiming Pension Credit as a couple before 15 May 2019. Everyone else claims Universal Credit.
How much Housing Benefit will I get?
There is no set amount. Your council compares your income with your 'applicable amount' (the personal allowances and premiums below) and works out help towards your eligible rent. Private renters' eligible rent is capped at the Local Housing Allowance rate for their area; council and housing association tenants use their actual rent plus eligible service charges, reduced if they have a spare bedroom.
What is the savings limit for Housing Benefit?
You usually cannot get Housing Benefit if your savings are over £16,000, unless you get the Guarantee Credit of Pension Credit (then there is no limit). Below working age, savings up to £6,000 are ignored; above the qualifying age for Pension Credit, up to £10,000. Savings above that count as tariff income of £1 a week for every £250 (working age) or £500 (pension age), or part of it.
What is the spare room reduction?
If you rent from a council or housing association and have a spare bedroom, your eligible rent is cut by 14% for one spare bedroom or 25% for two or more. It does not apply to private renters, whose rent is capped by the Local Housing Allowance instead.
What is a non-dependant deduction?
If an adult who is not your partner lives with you — a grown-up son or daughter, say — your Housing Benefit is reduced on the assumption they contribute. For 2026/27 the deduction runs from £20.40 a week (not working, or on a low income) up to £131.45 a week when their gross income is £605 and above.
Is Housing Benefit taxable?
No. HMRC lists Housing Benefit among the state benefits you do not pay Income Tax on.
How do I claim Housing Benefit?
Apply through your local council, or as part of a Pension Credit claim if you are eligible for that. You can claim up to 13 weeks in advance (17 weeks if you are 60 or over), for example if you are moving.
Sources
Reflects Housing Benefit rates from April 2026, verified against DWP and GOV.UK.
Related Calculators
Local Housing Allowance (LHA) Rates
Weekly LHA rates by Broad Rental Market Area for England, Scotland and Wales.
Pension Credit Calculator
Check your Pension Credit entitlement — Guarantee Credit top-up and Savings Credit for pre-2016 State Pension age claimants.
Universal Credit Calculator
Estimate your monthly UC award with child, LCWRA, carer, childcare and housing elements, 55% taper, and benefit cap.