Important changes & welfare reform

This page provides information on important changes that could affect your housing benefits.

Here we will give updates on any changes to the law which could affect your housing benefits. We will also provide local information, for your convenience:

This page provides information on important changes to housing benefit eligibility from 15 May 2019.

From 15 May 2019, if you’re in a couple you’ll only be eligible to start getting Housing Benefit if either:
  • you and your partner have both reached State Pension age
  • one of you has reached State Pension age and started claiming Housing Benefit or Pension Credit (for you as a couple) before 15 May 2019

You can apply for Universal Credit instead if you’re not eligible.

 

If you already get Housing Benefit and you’re in a couple

You’ll continue to get Housing Benefit after 15 May 2019. If your entitlement stops for any reason, for example your circumstances change, you cannot start getting it again until you (or your partner) are eligible under the new rules.

 

If you already get Housing Benefit and you’re single

From 15 May 2019, you’ll stop getting Housing Benefit if you start living with a partner who is under State Pension age. You can start getting it again when your partner reaches State Pension age.
 
  • Is the overnight care provided by a carer who doesn’t live in your home?
  • Do you actually have a spare bedroom that your carer uses overnight?
If the answer to all these questions is yes, then from 1 April 2017 the help you get with your rent may be able to take account of this.

From April 2017, a bedroom that is used by a carer (or team of carers) who doesn’t actually live in your home but provides overnight care for either a disabled child or a disabled adult who lives with you, can be taken into account when working out how much Housing Benefit to pay.

In some cases, this could result in an increase in Housing Benefit, however all your circumstances would need to be considered to decide whether you can get more money. This will include whether the child or adult who lives with you are entitled to certain disability benefits.  
 
  • Do you and your partner sleep in separate bedrooms because of this?

If the answer to these questions is yes, then from 1 April 2017 the help you get with your rent may be able to take account of this.

From April 2017, an extra bedroom can be taken into account when working out how much Housing Benefit to pay, if a couple are unable to share a bedroom because of a disability. Your local authority must also be satisfied that you and your partner cannot reasonably share a bedroom due to your disability and that a spare bedroom is available in the household for that use.

In some cases, this could result in an increase in Housing Benefit, however all your circumstances would need to be considered to decide whether you can get more money. This will include whether you or your partner are entitled to certain disability benefits as follows:
  • the middle or higher rate care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
  • higher rate Attendance Allowance (AA)
  • the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • Armed Forces Independent Payment (AFIP)

Even if your Housing Benefit doesn’t increase as a result, it is still in your interest to tell us if you have these care arrangements for any children/non-dependant adults who lives with you or you and your partner are unable to share a bedroom because of a disability.
 
If you require further information or help please contact us :
  • Write to Benefits Section, Northumberland County Council, County Hall, Morpeth, NE61 2EF
  • Telephone:  0345 600 6400
  • Email:  Benefits@northumberland.gov.uk
The government has made big changes to the benefits system as part of the Welfare Reform Act. A summary of these changes is given below.

On 1 April 2013, the government introduced size limit rules into housing benefit for working age people renting from a local authority and registered providers of social housing, housing associations or social landlords. Working age includes anyone who is under the age of state pension credit age. State pension can be calculated using the state pension age calculator.

The new rules restrict the size of accommodation housing benefit can be received for, based on the number of people within a household.

The following are expected to share:
  • an adult couple
  • two children under 16 of the same gender
  • two children under 10, regardless of gender
The following can have their own bedroom:
  • a single adult (16 or over)
  • a child that would normally share, but shared rooms are taken
  • children who can’t share because of disabilities or medical conditions
  • a non-resident overnight carer for you or your partner (but only if they must stay overnight)
  • a disabled person who can't share a bedroom
One spare bedroom is allowed for:
  • an approved foster carer between placements, up to 52 weeks from the end of previous placement
  • a newly approved foster carer, up to 52 weeks from date of approval if no child is placed with them during
Rooms used by students or members of the armed/reserved forces will not be counted as spare if they intend to return home.

Those parents who don’t live together, but have shared care of children are not exempt, unless they are the provider of their main home, receive child benefit, or are treated as their responsible.

How could you be affected?
If you are assessed under these rules as having more bedrooms than necessary for your household, you will be considered to be under-occupying that property.

If you are under-occupying there will be a reduction in housing benefit.

The amount allowed for rent and any service charges will be reduced by 14% for under-occupancy of one bedroom, or 25% for under-occupancy by two bedrooms or more.

These changes should be considered before renewing, or signing a new tenancy agreement, but you may be able to get a discretionary housing payment to make up for some, or all of the reduction.

As part of the Government's Welfare Reform changes the total amount of benefit that can be received is a set amount for both single people and couples. This is called the benefit cap. It applies to most people aged 16 or over who have not reached State Pension age.

The benefit cap was brought in to make sure that no family received more in benefits than the average working household. 

The benefit cap amounts for the Northumberland area are currently:  
£384.62 a week if you are a couple or have children
£257.69 a week if you are a single person


Which benefits are included in the benefit cap?
Jobseeker's Allowance
Employment Support Allowance (except where the support component has been awarded)
Housing Benefit
Child Benefit
Child Tax Credit
Bereavement Allowance
Widowed Parents Allowance/Widow’s Pension/Widowed Mother’s Allowance
Incapacity Benefit
Income Support
Maternity Allowance
Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA)
Universal Credit

 

When you're not affected
You’re not affected by the cap if you’re over State Pension age. If you’re part of a couple and one of you is under State Pension age, the cap may apply.

You’re not affected by the cap if you or your partner:
  • get working tax credit (even if the amount you get is £0)
  • get Universal Credit because of a disability or health condition that stops you from working (this is called ‘limited capability for work and work-related activity’)
  • get Universal Credit because you care for someone with a disability
  • get Universal Credit and you and your partner earn more than £569 a month combined, after tax and National Insurance contributions
You’re also not affected by the cap if you, your partner or any children under 18 living with you gets:
  • Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
  • Armed Forces Independence Payment
  • Attendance Allowance
  • Carer’s Allowance
  • Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
  • Employment and Support Allowance (if you get the support component)
  • Guardian’s Allowance
  • Industrial Injuries Benefits (and equivalent payments as part of a War Disablement Pension or the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme)
  • Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • War pensions
  • War Widow’s or War Widower’s Pension

Which benefits will be reduced if I am affected by the benefit cap?
If you receive Housing Benefit this will be reduced by the amount you are over the cap. If your Housing Benefit entitlement is reduced due to the cap amount, you will receive at least 50p of your Housing Benefit entitlement.
If you receive Universal Credit your entitlement will be reduced by the amount that you are over the cap.

How can I find out if I'm going to be affected by the benefit cap?
The DWP has put together a benefit cap calculator you can use that can tell you if you will be affected or not. It's really easy to use and can be completed in five minutes.

What can I do?
If you are affected by the benefit cap we may be able to help you in the short term. You may be able to apply for a discretionary housing payment.  Please contact us on 0345 600 6400.

If you think the cap should not apply because you, your partner or any children you are responsible for when working out your housing benefit, receive one or more of the above benefits you can report this to the benefit cap helpline. The helpline number is 0800 169 0145 or textphone 0800 169 0314 for people with hearing or speech impairments.

The helpline is open Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm.

Finding work could mean that the benefit cap won’t apply to you if you are able to get Working Tax Credit. You can find out more about Working Tax Credit at www.gov.uk/working-tax-credit, including how many hours you need to work to get it.

For help in preparing and looking for work contact the helpline number on 0800 169 0145 to make an appointment to see a work coach.

You can also find help online at https://www.gov.uk/moving-from-benefits-to-work/overview
The disability living allowance has been replaced as the main non-means-tested benefit for working age people with a long-term health condition or disability, affecting their daily living or mobility.

The personal independence payment has a daily living component and a mobility component. Each component has two rates: standard and enhanced.

People can get both components if they satisfy the conditions and will need to satisfy the disability conditions for three months before the claim and be expected to continue this for nine months afterwards – unless they are terminally ill and claiming under special rules.

The daily living component will be paid at the same rates as high and middle rate disability living allowance care component, but there will be no equivalent to the low rate care. The criteria are different.

Therefore, it can’t be assumed that those on high or middle disability living allowance care will all transfer to the equivalent new rates, just as it can’t be assumed everyone on current low rate disability living allowance will not qualify for personal independence payments.

Entitlement is assessed by considering 12 activities. Points are awarded depending on how well people can carry out each of the activities. Personal independence payment claims contact number: 0800 917 2222
The government states that through reforms it is seeking to speed up entry into employment from benefits for those able to work.

These will include certain conditions for people returning to work, or taking up training opportunities. 
The family premium will no longer be included in the Housing Benefit applicable amount for new entitlements for Housing Benefit from 1 May 2016 and for existing customers who have a child or become responsible for a child or young person for the first time after the 30 April 2016.
 
For existing customers who are no longer responsible for a child or young person, the family premium can no longer be awarded. If responsibility for a child or young is regained after the 30 April 2016, the premium will not be included when calculating your Housing Benefit entitlement.

For existing customers who receive Housing Benefit, the family premium will no longer be included within your calculation if there is a break in your entitlement for more than one week.
Universal Credit is a new government means tested benefit that provides help to working age people who are on a low income or out of work.

For further information about Universal Credit please click here.