Rent
If you’re struggling to keep up with your rent payments, you might be able to get benefits or grants to help you with your rent.
Help to reduce the cost of your rent
If you’re struggling to pay your rent, it is worth checking whether you can get any more help with your rent from welfare benefits from the government. These aren’t just for people who are unemployed.
The benefits system provides help with rent for people living in different types of rented accommodation, including homes rented from a council or housing association and homes rented from a private landlord.
For most people, help is available through Universal Credit. If you claim a State Pension or live in supported, sheltered or temporary housing, you may instead need to apply for Housing Benefit from your local council. The charity Shelter provides advice on how to apply for these and links to benefits calculators that will give you an idea of the help you might be able to get from the benefits system.
Your local Council can award additional funding to people whose benefits don’t provide enough to fully pay their rents, through Discretionary Housing Payments. Shelter’s website provides information on Discretionay Housing Payments and how to apply if your benefits aren't high enough to meet your rent.
Help with rent arrears
Speak to your landlord
If you are struggling to pay your rent, it is important that you contact your landlord to let them know you're struggling, and to offer a way to repay what you owe. If you do not, you may be subject to eviction action.
Before contacting your landlord, you should make a budget which shows what you can afford to pay. You can use the budget tool from the National Debtline to do this or you can contact a debt advice service for help. Shelter have also provided a template letter you can use to write to your landlord.
If you agree a lower payment with your landlord, it is important that you start paying this straight away and keep a record of payments or communications between yourself and the landlord.
Support you can get if you can't pay your rent
If you are struggling to meet your housing costs, you should check whether you are receiving all the financial support that is available to you.
If you are in rent arrears, you may be eligible for a 60-day period of protection during which your creditors can’t add interest or fees to your debts and can’t take enforcement action, known as a breathing space. The Breathing Space scheme can ease some of the pressures of dealing with debts and give you time to access debt advice or improve your financial situation by accessing benefits or financial support.
If your landlord is threatening eviction for rent arrears, you should contact your local council's housing options service or an independent advice agency such as Shelter.
If you’re having problems with your private landlord or letting agent, it’s important to know your rights. Visit the Mayor of London’s guidance on renters’ rights for more information.
Find out about getting help with housing support if your immigration status limits what support you are able to claim.
If you're being evicted
If your landlord is threatening eviction for rent arrears, you should contact your local council's housing options service or an independent advice agency such as Shelter.
If you become homeless
If you're homeless, or worried about being homeless, visit Shelter website for guidance about how to get help from your council and places you can stay if you're in an emergency.