Under occupancy and bedroom tax

[Jammydoughnutmum]

social housing related…
hypothetically moving to a bigger house by exchange that allows an extra bedroom than you need, do you still have to pay bedroom tax on the extra bedroom despite being allowed it with certain HA? Also will this effect UC?
as I said hypothetical as I’m trying to work out if a certain move will be good for us and work financially until I finish training, thanks

It's not a 'bedroom tax' that you have to pay, but that the housing element of your UC won't be increased to pay the higher rent on a larger house than your family needs, you'll have to pay the extra rent yourself and earn extra money or make savings elsewhere to cover it.

Yes, I know someone who has to pay bedroom tax even though the council housed her in a place where she had 3 bedrooms instead of 2

I have to pay it now my eldest has moved out because my younger 2 are both boys under 16

Thank you

@Jammydoughnutmum you could have a chat with the housing officer of the new place to make sure. Mine worked out at £14 a week I have to pay now

Thanks I thought it was a lot more than that

It’s not a tax.

it depends what your local allowance is. I have a 3-bed I fought for because I have 2 SEN boys. BUT, my rent is tiny (£80/week), so even if I were having to cover the shortfall between a 2 and 3 bed myself, we’d be talking £10/week.

but this depends where you live and what the housing costs are.

Yes you will have to pay the shortfall. It's 14% of the rent, whatever that is.

The mutual exchange rules were written before bedroom tax was invented.

As long as you're going into it with your eyes open and prepared to pay then go for it.

Yeah it's 14 % so depends on how much your rent will be