﻿ Housing Benefit size restrictions in social housing - Citizens Advice
Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer

Housing Benefit size restrictions in social housing

This advice applies to England


This page can help you find out if you are affected

When might you be affected



When will your home count as too big for you?



You're allowed 1 bedroom for each person living in your home unless they're expected to share. 2 people are expected to share 1 bedroom if they're:

  • 2 adults in a couple
  • 2 children under 10
  • 2 children under 16 if they're the same sex

Adults in a couple don't have to share a room if one of them has a disability which means they have to sleep apart. The disabled partner also needs to get a disability benefit.

A child is allowed their own bedroom if they have a disability that means they can't share a room.

Find out more about when disabled children and adults don't need to share a room.

For example, Mr and Mrs Bell live in a 2 bedroom flat. They don't have any children, and neither of them has a medical condition that stops them sharing a room. Under the rules, they'll have 1 spare bedroom. They'll get less Housing Benefit as a result. 

Getting an extra bedroom for someone who doesn't live with you

You can get an extra bedroom for a person who doesn't always live with you if:

  • you have an adult child in the Armed Forces
  • you're a foster carer
  • someone who lives with you needs an overnight carer

Otherwise, you can only have a bedroom for people who live with you all the time. This means you'll get less Housing Benefit if you have a spare room for children who've moved out but sometimes come to stay.

More about people who are allowed a bedroom for special reasons

If someone normally lives with you but is away from home, they still count as living with you, if they meet these conditions:

  • they intend to return to live with you
  • you haven't sublet their room
  • if they're in the UK, they aren't likely to be away for more than 13 weeks
  • if they're outside the UK, they aren't likely to be away for more than 4 weeks

Someone can still count as living with you if they're away for up to a year if they both:

  • intend to come home
  • are in hospital or away studying or training

What happens if your home is too big for you?


  • 14% if you have one spare bedroom
  • 25% if you have two or more spare bedrooms.


You may also be affected by the benefit cap, which is a cap on the total amount of benefits you can get.

Next steps

Did this advice help?
Why wasn't this advice helpful?
Did this advice help?

Thank you, your feedback has been submitted.