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Universal Credit (UC) housing costs element - Universal Credit (UC): How much will I get? I'm a private tenant

Universal Credit (UC) housing costs element can help with rent and some service charges

Last reviewed 13 June 2022

Universal Credit (UC): How much will I get? I'm a private tenant

If you are a private tenant your housing costs will be calculated using the (LHA) for your area. Private tenant means that you rent your home from a private landlord rather than from a council or a housing association. You are considered a private tenant if you pay rent as a lodger.

There will be an LHA rate set based on rental prices in your area and the number of rooms you are considered to need based on who lives in your household. Your LHA rate might not match the number of bedrooms you have in your property.

If you are single, don't have any dependent children and are aged under 35, you will only be able to get the Shared Accommodation rate of (LHA). This won't apply and you will be entitled to the One Bedroom rate if:

Otherwise, you will be entitled to one bedroom for each of the following:

  • You (and your partner if you have one)
  • Any other person over 16, as long as they aren't living with you as your tenant
  • Two children under 16 of the same gender
  • Two children under 10
  • Any other child under 16.

Example

Siobhan (34) lives with her partner Aaron (40) and their four children. Their children are a son aged 17, two girls aged 13 and 15, and a boy aged 4. They get one bedroom for Siobhan and Aaron, and one bedroom for the boy aged 17 because he is a person over 16. They also get one bedroom for the two girls to share (two children under 16 of the same gender), and one bedroom for the 4 year old boy (any other child under 16). They are entitled to the 4 bedroom rate of LHA. 

Extra bedrooms

You may be able to get an additional bedroom entitlement if you, your partner or your child has a disability that means they can't share a bedroom and they get a qualifying disability benefit.

The qualifying disability benefits are:

You may be able to get an additional bedroom if you, your partner, or your child has a disability that means they need someone to stay overnight to provide care and they get a qualifying disability benefit.

The qualifying disability benefits are:

You won't be entitled to any more than four bedrooms, however many people live in your household.

This could mean that your housing costs element will not cover all of your rent if your home is too expensive.

You can visit the LHA Direct website to find out what your is.

If your rent is more than the LHA amount, you might be able to get help through a Discretionary Housing Payment.

Updated June 2022

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