Social housing tenants

A client who is paying rent to a registered community housing provider for a property that is not contracted for Income Related Rent purposes can receive Accommodation Supplement.

In this situation if another client was paying rent to the tenant living in a property registered with the community housing provider, they can get Accommodation Supplement for the rent they pay.

Additional occupants may pay a contribution towards accommodation costs while living in the social housing property.

The contribution amount may include food and sometimes other costs. Whether it includes food (and/or other costs) or not, the contribution is considered board for the purpose of calculating Accommodation Supplement.

This means that only 62% of the additional occupant's contribution can be considered as their allowable accommodation cost even if it does not include food (and/or other costs).

For more information see about what a contribution is, see:

• Contributions from additional occupants

A social housing tenant cannot get Accommodation Supplement. If a social housing tenant sublets to another person, this person also cannot get Accommodation Supplement for the full rent cost they pay the social housing tenant. This is because rent paid by any person in respect of a social housing property is not an allowable cost for Accommodation Supplement.

A social housing tenant can, after seeking agreement from their provider, take on an additional occupant. An additional occupant may be able to get Accommodation Supplement where they pay a contribution towards accommodation costs while living in the social housing property and their contributions will be treated like a board payment.

The contribution amount may include food and sometimes other costs. Whether it includes food (and/or other costs) or not, the contribution is considered board for the purpose of calculating Accommodation Supplement.

This means that only 62% of the additional occupant's contribution can be considered as their allowable accommodation cost even if it does not include food (and/or other costs).

Social housing tenants are not generally allowed to sub-let their property. Information indicating that sub-letting is occurring is relevant to their eligibility for social housing and an Income Related Rent.

Information on sub-letting in social housing should be referred to Client Service Integrity for follow up if the tenant has not advised of the change in their circumstances.