Universal Credit (UC) housing costs element - Can I get Universal Credit (UC) housing costs element?

You can only get help with housing costs through Universal Credit if you are eligible to receive Universal Credit.

Tenant

If you are a tenant you have to be the person who is responsible for paying the rent to get help with your housing costs.

If you are separating from your partner, and they are the person named on the tenancy, but you are the person actually living in the property, you should be able to get help with rent payments. If Universal Credit refuses to help with your rent payments, get advice.

You will not usually qualify for help with housing costs if you live in the home of a close relative, unless you are also named on the tenancy.

Homeowner

If you are a homeowner you might be able to get help with service charges. To be able to get this help, you must not have any earned income. If you are making a claim as a couple, if either of you have any earned income, of any amount, you will not qualify for a housing costs element.  Owner-occupiers who are leaseholders can still receive help with some service charges through Universal Credit Housing Costs Help.  Owner-occupiers with a mortgage have the option of applying for a Support for Mortgage Interest Loan for help with the mortgage interest.

Temporary or Supported Accommodation

If you live in temporary accommodation that you were placed in by the council to meet their duties to you as a homeless person, or accommodation in which you receive on-site support, you won't get help with your housing costs through Universal Credit. Instead, help with housing costs will be paid through Housing Benefit, which you will need to claim from your local council.

Updated June 2022