The number of bedrooms you can get benefits for is depending on the age, sex and number of people in your household.

Your benefit is reduced if you have spare bedrooms. This is known as the bedroom tax. You must pay the rent shortfall yourself.

The rules are different for universal credit and housing benefit.

Only include:

• you and any dependent children

• your partner if you live with them

• any other adults who live with you but do not pay rent

Do not include lodgers or other joint tenants, except for your partner.

Count everyone who lives in your home including lodgers and other joint tenants.

Your children can only be included in the benefit claim and bedroom entitlement of 1 person.

With UC, you can jointly agree which one of you is the main carer.

If you cannot agree, the DWP decides based on the actual arrangements. For example, where the children spend the most time.

With housing benefit, the main carer is the person who gets child benefit for the children.

You can apply for discretionary housing payments (DHPs) if your children need a bedroom but are not included in your UC or housing benefit claim.

You can usually claim for 1 bedroom for: 

• you – and a partner if claiming as a couple

• each other couple (only if you claim HB) 

• each other person aged 16 or over (even if part of a couple if you claim UC) 

• 2 children under 16 of the same sex

• 2 children under 10 of any sex

• any other child under 16

You get payment for 1 extra bedroom if you have a foster child placed with you, or for up to 12 months between placements.

You get payment for an extra bedroom if anyone in your household receives overnight care on a regular basis from a non resident carer and gets any of the following benefits: 

• PIP – daily living component

• DLA – middle or high care component

• attendance allowance – higher rate if you get HB; any rate if you get UC

You get payment for an extra bedroom if due to disability:

• an adult cannot share with their partner

• a child cannot share with another child

The disabled person must get one of the following benefits:

• PIP – daily living component

• DLA – middle or high care component

• attendance allowance – higher rate