What is the Universal Credit housing element?

What the housing element is

The housing element is the part of Universal Credit that helps with housing costs. GOV.UK often calls it the "amount for housing". It can help pay:

• rent to a private landlord
• rent and service charges to a council or housing association
• service charges if you own your home (homeowners cannot get help with the mortgage itself, but may get a Support for Mortgage Interest loan)

Who it is for

You can get it if you are eligible for Universal Credit and have housing costs. It is worked out from your housing costs at the end of each monthly assessment period.

You cannot get it if you live in:

• supported housing where you get care, support or supervision
• temporary accommodation from the council because you are homeless
• a domestic abuse refuge

In these cases you claim Housing Benefit for your rent instead, and Universal Credit for your living costs.

How much you get

There is no set rate. The amount depends on your rent, who lives with you, your age and where you live.

If you rent privately

Your amount is limited by the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rate for your area and the number of bedrooms you are allowed. You get one bedroom for each of these:

• you and your partner
• any other adult aged 16 or over
• 2 children of the same sex under 16
• 2 children under 10, whatever their sex
• any other child

If you are single, under 35 and live alone, you are usually limited to the rate for a single room in a shared house. There are exceptions, for example some care leavers under 25 and some people who get disability benefits.

If you rent from a council or housing association

The amount is cut if you have spare bedrooms:

Example: your rent is £500 a month and you have 1 spare bedroom. Your housing amount is cut by £70 (14%), so it is £430 a month.

Adults who live with you

If another adult aged 21 or over lives with you and is not your partner, your housing amount is usually cut by a "non-dependant" deduction.

There is no deduction if, for example, you or they get the daily living part of PIP, the middle or highest care rate of DLA, or Attendance Allowance. There is also none if they get Pension Credit or Carer's Allowance, or are your lodger.

How to apply

You do not make a separate claim. You add your housing costs when you claim Universal Credit, or report them later as a change. You may need:

• a tenancy agreement, rent statement or rent book
• a signed letter from your landlord
• details of any service charges

Your landlord may be sent a form to confirm your housing costs.

Things to know

• The money usually comes in your monthly payment, and you must pay your landlord.
• If you fall behind on rent, it can be paid straight to your landlord through an alternative payment arrangement.
• If it does not cover your rent, ask your council about a Discretionary Housing Payment (Scotland and Wales) or the Crisis and Resilience Fund (England).

If you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland

In Scotland you can choose to have your housing amount paid straight to your landlord. In Northern Ireland it is paid to your landlord as standard, and social tenants hit by the spare bedroom cut can get extra "mitigation payments".

Related guides

• What are the Local Housing Allowance rates for 2026/27?
• Can I still claim Housing Benefit?
• What is the bedroom tax?
• What is a Discretionary Housing Payment?
• How much Universal Credit will I get?

Where this comes from

• Housing and Universal Credit (GOV.UK)
• Renting from a private landlord (GOV.UK)
• Renting from a local authority or housing association (GOV.UK)
• How to claim help with housing costs (GOV.UK)
• Benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027 (DWP)
• Universal Credit payments for housing (nidirect)