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When everyone has a home

Housing advice for Northern Ireland

Bedroom tax

Some people who rent their homes from the Housing Executive or a housing association and who receive Housing Benefit may be subject to the “social sector size criteria” or “bedroom tax”.  This is a cut to your Housing Benefit if your home has more bedrooms than the Government says you need.  This change to Housing Benefit will take effect in Northern Ireland from 20 February 2017.

This information explains how this new system works, who is and who is not affected, and what help is available if your Housing Benefit is cut because your home is too large. 

How many bedrooms are you allowed if you get Housing Benefit?

If you rent your home from the Housing Executive or a housing association and you receive Housing Benefit, the amount of money you receive could be reduced if your home has too many bedrooms. Find out how many rooms your household is allowed.

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What is the "bedroom tax"?

The bedroom tax is a reduction in Housing Benefit for people who live in a property that is owned by NIHE or a housing association and that is too large for their household. Its proper name is the “social sector size criteria”, but most people call it the “bedroom tax”.

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Help for people affected by the bedroom tax

Your Housing Benefit or Universal Credit will be reduced if the Government says you have too many bedrooms. However, for the next few years, the money that you lose will be replaced from a separate fund. Politicians at the Assembly have set up a fund to offset these cuts to Housing Benefit, meaning that most people in Northern Ireland will not actually lose out financially because of the changes. This fund will be available until March 2020.

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Video guide to Bedroom Tax

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