Phone an adviser
If you have a housing problem, call our expert housing advice helpline
You can’t always claim housing benefit for rent you pay to someone in your family, or to an ex-partner.
If you are renting a home from a ‘close relative’ of you or your partner and they live in the same house, you won’t be able to get housing benefit.
A ‘close relative’ includes:
For example, if you are living with your parents and paying them some money towards household costs you will not be able to claim housing benefit.
If you live with a close family member who themselves claim housing benefit or universal credit to help pay the rent, the amount they get could be reduced if you are an adult. Find out more about:
If you live in a property owned by a ‘close relative’ and pay them rent, but they live in a separate home, you may be entitled to housing benefit.
You can only get housing benefit in this situation if your tenancy is a commercial one rather than an informal family arrangement. To decide this, the council might want to consider:
Be prepared to answer these questions and provide paperwork if asked. Use our checklist to help you work out what documents to provide.
You can’t get housing benefit if you pay rent to an ex-partner for a home you used to live in as a couple, or if you have a child with your ex and your child lives with you.
It does not matter if the ex-partner is not your most recent ex.
You can get housing benefit if you pay rent to an ex-partner for somewhere you never lived together as a couple, as long as you do not have a child with your ex who continues to live with you.
If you are under 25, take a look at our Money matters advice page, specifically put together for young people.
If you have a housing problem, call our expert housing advice helpline
If you have a non-urgent problem and would like to speak to an adviser
email us
We are sorry that we cannot provide this information in Welsh, however if you would like to speak to an adviser in Welsh please contact 08000 495 495.
This page was last updated on: Mai 9, 2022
Shelter Cymru acknowledges the support of Shelter in allowing us to adapt their content. The information contained on this site is updated and maintained by Shelter Cymru and only gives general guidance on the law in Wales. It should not be regarded or relied upon as a complete or authoritative statement of the law.