The Housing Benefit (Earned Income Disregards) (Amendment) Regulations 2026

Explanatory note

Reproduced verbatim from the instrument as published on legislation.gov.uk (Crown Copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0). The note is prepared by the responsible government department and is not part of the instrument itself.

These Regulations amend the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006 ( S.I. 2006/213 ) to extend the sums to be disregarded when calculating the earnings of a person claiming housing benefit (“ the claimant ”).

Regulation 2 amends Schedule 4 (sums to be disregarded in the calculation of earnings) to insert additional sums that are to be disregarded in the calculation of earnings where the claimant is resident in specified accommodation or temporary accommodation (the definitions of both types of accommodation are contained in Schedule 1 to the Universal Credit Regulations 2013 ( S.I. 2013/376 )). The sums to be disregarded differ depending on whether the claimant has not attained the age of 18 years, or not attained the age of 25 years, and those who have, and is a single claimant, or part of a couple.

These amendments apply to working-age housing benefit only and no changes are made to the Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations 2006 ( S.I. 2006/214 ).

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary sector or community bodies is foreseen.