Council rents

Welfare Reform

Major changes to the welfare system have taken place. Many people will see their benefit payments go down. Please see benefit changes for more information. The change that may affect you as a council tenant is under occupation (bedroom tax).

Under occupation

If you are aged between 16 and pension credit age and have spare bedrooms your housing benefit will be reduced. Examples include:

• A couple living in a two bedroom flat.
• A couple with one child living in a three bedroom house.

Please note that there are some exceptions. For more information please see changes to housing benefit. Use our free welfare form calculator to see how the changes will affect you.

• If you have one extra bedroom, the amount of rent used to work out your housing benefit will go down by 14% (about £12 a week).
• If you have two or more extra bedrooms, the amount of rent used to work out your housing benefit will do down by 25% (about £22 a week).

Rooms for children

Children are not necessarily allowed a room to themselves.

• Children under 10 years old are expected to share with another child, regardless of their sex.
• Children under 16 are expected to share, if they are the same sex.

What are my options?

Pay the difference and stay where you are

• For all the ways that you can pay please see council housing: paying your rent or other housing payments.
• If there are other adult family members or friends who live with you, you could ask them to make an extra payment towards the rent.
• For advice on budgeting please see council housing: having difficulty paying your rent.

Increase your income

You could try to increase your working hours or look for a job. For advice on employment please see the Ways2Work website.

Move to a smaller home

• You could apply for a transfer. Please see council tenants: applying for a transfer.
• You could apply for an exchange through Home Swapper. Please see council tenants: exchanging your home.

Having difficulty paying your rent 

• You must pay your rent or you risk losing your home. If you are struggling to pay, advice is available. Please see council housing: having difficulty paying your rent.
• In certain circumstances, you may be able to apply for help through a discretionary housing payment, but usually for a short time only.
• For information please see our making a claim for discretionary housing payments factsheet (pdf, 56 KB) (opens new window).
• To apply complete a discretionary housing payment application form (pdf, 133 KB) (opens new window) and send it to Housing and Council Tax Benefits, PO Box 43, Bristol, BS99 1BF.
• For more information please see our discretionary housing payment policy (pdf, 116 KB) (opens new window).

Take in a lodger

• You may want to consider renting your spare room to a lodger. If you decide to do this, please contact Housing Benefit on 0117 922 2300, as it might affect the amount of housing benefit you get.
• For more information please see our renting out your spare room factsheet (pdf, 72 KB) (opens new window).

Contact us

 If you have any questions please contact the Rent Management Service or the Benefits Service. You can contact the Benefits Service by:

• Telephone: 0117 922 2300, Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 6pm
• Email: benefits@bristol.gov.uk