The "bedroom tax", officially the removal of the spare room subsidy, cuts housing support for social tenants judged to hold more bedrooms than they need.
On this page
- What is the bedroom tax?
- Who does the bedroom tax affect?
- How is the number of bedrooms worked out?
- What if I need a spare bedroom for medical reasons?
- What if I want to move to avoid the bedroom tax?
- Does the bedroom tax apply to private tenants?
- Does the bedroom tax affect a housing disrepair claim?
- When should I contact Support for Tenants?
- Sources
- Related articles
The "bedroom tax", officially the removal of the spare room subsidy, cuts housing support for social tenants judged to hold more bedrooms than they need. Here is how it works, who it hits, and the exceptions.
What is the bedroom tax?
It cuts Housing Benefit, or the UC housing element, for social tenants with one or more "spare" bedrooms under the rules. It began in April 2013 and still applies.
The cut is:
- 14% of your housing support for one spare bedroom
- 25% for two or more
Get £80 a week in housing support with one judged-spare bedroom, and you lose £11.20 a week, found from other income or benefits.
Who does the bedroom tax affect?
It hits working-age social tenants on Housing Benefit or the UC housing element. It does not touch:
- People of pension age, above the Pension Credit qualifying age
- People in temporary or supported accommodation
- People in certain exempt accommodation
How is the number of bedrooms worked out?
The rules allow one bedroom for:
- Each adult couple
- Each single adult aged 16 or over
- Two same-sex children under 16
- Two children under 10, whatever their sex
- A child alone, where mixed sexes or ages would need separate rooms
More bedrooms than the rules allow means "spare" rooms, and a cut.
What if I need a spare bedroom for medical reasons?
Exceptions exist. A disability or medical need for an extra room, an overnight carer, a disabled child who cannot share, can be weighed. Nothing is automatic: you usually ask for a medical assessment.
Councils can also pay a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) to cover the gap, above all where moving smaller would be very hard.
What if I want to move to avoid the bedroom tax?
Moving smaller to match your entitlement is often hard: smaller social homes may simply not exist near you. Some councils run mutual exchange schemes for swaps.
Does the bedroom tax apply to private tenants?
No. It covers council and housing association tenants only. Private tenants face a different rule: the Local Housing Allowance caps support by the size of home allowed.
Does the bedroom tax affect a housing disrepair claim?
They are separate. A disrepair claim is about the home's state, not your benefits. Social tenants with disrepair hold legal rights against the landlord, just as private tenants do.
When should I contact Support for Tenants?
Support for Tenants mostly helps private tenants with disrepair claims. Private tenant, with disrepair your landlord has not fixed? Call us.
Call us on 0800 030 4669. No upfront cost. You only pay if you win, and the fee comes out of the compensation, not your pocket. If you don't win, you pay nothing.
Sources
Related articles
We review every guide at least twice a year and update it when the law changes. If you spot something out of date or wrong, email help@supportfortenants.co.uk.
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 15 June 2026. Checked by our SRA-regulated panel solicitors. This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case. Any compensation figures or ranges shown are illustrative only, not a promise; every case is different.
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