Some local authorities and housing providers do not charge rent for 52 weeks a year.

If you rent from a council or housing provider that operates a policy of ‘rent free’ weeks then the following information explains how your help with housing costs is worked out. This will depend on whether you are claiming Housing Benefit or Universal Credit.

Housing Benefit

You are not actually entitled to Housing Benefit during your rent free period, your income and any deductions that apply to your claim, for example non-dependant deductions, will be adjusted across the weeks you pay rent for when calculating how much you will receive outside of your rent free period.

Our Housing Benefit calculations will include any adjustments needed so please just enter your rent amount and the number of rent free weeks you have and the calculator will do the rest. 

Universal Credit

When calculating help with rent in Universal Credit, the total rent you pay for the year is added together and then divided by 12 to create 12 equal monthly rent amounts. For example, if you pay £100 per week for 48 weeks of the year, your rent for UC will be £100 x 48 / 12 = £400 per month.

Please just enter your weekly rent amount and the number of rent free weeks you have and the calculator will do the rest.