Housing Benefit and mobile homes
You can claim Housing Benefit for a mobile home if you have a low income or receive benefits. Housing Benefit can help you pay your rent or site fees.
I rent my mobile home – can I claim Housing Benefit?
Yes. You can make a claim for Housing Benefit towards your rent and site fees in the usual way.
Mobile homes include caravans occupied by people with a travelling tradition, such as Gypsies and Travellers.
If you live in a universal credit area, you will have to claim housing costs under universal credit instead. To check if you are in a universal credit area, click here.
I own my mobile home but I pay pitch fees – can I get Housing Benefit?
Yes. You can get Housing Benefit towards the pitch fees even if you own your mobile home.
How is Housing Benefit on mobile homes calculated?
The rent officer at the council will decide what the ‘maximum rent’ payable for your mobile home is. They should work this out by looking at rents for similar properties in your area. They should look at traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ homes as well as mobile homes.
Gypsies and Travellers on council-owned sites
The maximum amount of rent that qualifies for Housing Benefit can only be restricted if:
- the council says your mobile home is too large for your needs
- the rent is unreasonably high.
This applies if you stay on a council owned site or live in a mobile home or caravan provided by a council on a travellers’ site.
For more advice and support visit the Travelling Ahead website.
What if I still can’t afford the rent?
If you get some Housing Benefit but are having difficulty paying the rest of the rent yourself, you may be able to get a discretionary housing payment to help make up the difference.
Phone an adviser
If you have a housing problem, call our expert housing advice helpline
0345 075 5005
Email an adviser
If you have a non-urgent problem and would like to speak to an advisor
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 0345 075 5005.
This page was last updated on: August 3, 2018
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.
