Universal credit and bedrooms

[Sweetporridge]

Please could anyone advise - if I find a private rent property that has more bedrooms than I need, does this affect the amount of UC I am paid? I have told them about my circumstances and they said for my area, I would be paid £650 per month. I need a 2 bed property for myself and child, but have found a 3 bed property for £1000 per month. Am I right in thinking I will still be paid £650 but I just make up the difference myself? They won’t deduct any of that £650 because I have one more bedroom than needed? Thank you for any advice.

Go on the benefit calculator site like TurnToUs, they’re pretty accurate

Yes that's right. They pay you up to your bedroom entitlement rate and you make up the shortfall.

I doubt it's done on the bedrooms.

surely they can't punish you for an extra bedroom?

I take it you haven't heard of the bedroom tax!!

You would have to top up the rest yourself . That's alot of money to top up though.

Thank you. Unfortunately £650 a month would only get me a 1 bed flat private rent in that area. Not that there is anything like that available. I hadn’t realised how hard rental properties were to come by these days and so I have had to take what is available. I’m not really sure how they work out that £650 is what a 2 bed costs. The only social housing available would put me 20 miles away from my family and so I would have childcare issues. But it’s ok, if I am sensible and careful I can make up the shortfall. I just wanted to be sure I can afford it before I sign the contract. I’m grateful to be entitled to anything really.

We have the opposite issue. They acknowledge we need 5 bedrooms.. No 5 bed council houses and they can't overcrowd us in a 4. so we private rent a 5 bed. They only cover a 4 bed rate.. We pay the rest.

That's only with social housing. Not private

Yes you just make up the difference

It's not a punishment, but the benefit is capped at the number of bedrooms you actually need. Otherwise someone could rent a 5 bed house for a couple just because they fancy a big house and have the high rent paid by universal credit...

Correct. They pay the local housing allowance for the number of bedrooms you are entitled to claim for. So this will vary depending where you live in the country. Anything above this you have to pay yourself. I'm sure you know how Uc works but just in case you don't , the Local housing allowance is paid as another element of UC and then earnings deductions reduce the whole award ( all the elements added together). If you have kids on the claim or anyone has been awarded Limited capability for work, you will also get a work allowance meaning the first £344 or earnings is disregarded before deductions apply.

This is not correct. If you have entitlement to a five bedroom they should pay you the local housing allowance for a 5 bed.

The bedroom tax is only applicable to council properties. It doesn't apply to private rent, you could rent a 10 bedroom house if you wanted but you have to make up the shortfall. So if you are only entitled to a 2 bedroom house, they will only give you enough housing benefit to cover that and you make up the rest yourself.

They review the local housing allowance rates regularly, I think it may be based on the lowest third of properties maybe ? I guess it's difficult as like you say there may be a lot of competition for the lowest priced ones.

I had a look and our local housing allowance for a 2 bed place is about £520 a month, the cheapest private rent I can see online is £695. It's awful.

Of course I have.

The OP is privately renting. Not council.

Yes of course it's capped.

The OP is asking if they will give her even less if she got a home with an extra bedroom.

is anyone actually reading what the OP was asking?

Private rental is subject to your local housing allowance for the number of bedrooms you are assessed as needing.

You can find the current rates in your area at lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/Secure/Search.aspx

So UC will pay your applicable lha rate, regardless of what your rent actually is.