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

Made: at 9.00 a.m. on 6th July 2026

Laid before Parliament: at 3.00 p.m. on 6th July 2026

Coming into force: 5th October 2026

The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 123(1)(d), 136(3) and (5)(b), 137(1) and 175(1) and (3) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992[^f00001].

In accordance with section 173(1)(b) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (“the Administration Act”)[^f00002], the Social Security Advisory Committee has agreed that the proposals in respect of these Regulations should not be referred to it.

In accordance with section 176(1)(a) of the Administration Act[^f00003], the Secretary of State has consulted with organisations appearing to the Secretary of State to be representative of the authorities concerned.

Citation, commencement and extent

1

• (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Housing Benefit (Earned Income Disregards) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 and come into force on 5th October 2026.

• (2) These Regulations extend to England and Wales and Scotland.

Amendments to the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006

2

• (1) The Housing Benefit Regulations 2006[^f00004] are amended as follows.

• (2) In regulation 36 (calculation of net earnings of employed earners), in paragraph (2), after “paragraphs 1 to 14”, insert “and 18”.

• (3) In regulation 38 (calculation of net profit of self-employed earners), in paragraph (2), after “paragraphs 1 to 14”, insert “and 18”.

• (4) In Schedule 4 (sums to be disregarded in the calculation of earnings), after paragraph 17 insert—

(18) (1) In the case of a claimant who is engaged in remunerative work as an employed earner or a self-employed earner, who is resident in specified accommodation or temporary accommodation and who is— (a) a single claimant who has not attained the age of 25 years, £61.41; (b) a single claimant who has attained the age of 25 years, £77.73; (c) a member of a couple, where both members of the couple have not attained the age of 18 years, £97.33; (d) a member of a couple, where both members of the couple have not attained the age of 25 years, £61.53; (e) a member of a couple, where at least one member of the couple has attained the age of 25 years, £119.70. (2) In this paragraph— - “specified accommodation” has the meaning given in paragraph 3A of Schedule 1 to the Universal Credit Regulations 2013[^f00005]; - “temporary accommodation” has the meaning given in paragraph 3B of Schedule 1 to the Universal Credit Regulations 2013[^f00006].

Signed

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

Stephen Timms — Minister of State — Department for Work and Pensions — at 9.00 a.m. on 6th July 2026

Editorial notes

[^key-d56ed49e96f7faebfdfc0895d595c15c]: Reg. 1 in force at 5.10.2026, see reg. 1(1)

[^key-a60ccf65e8e575ca6b5c85bb3cb03d22]: Reg. 2 in force at 5.10.2026, see reg. 1(1)

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Explanatory Note

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.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 1992 c. 4; section 137(1) is cited for the meaning it gives to “prescribed”; section 175(1) was amended by paragraph 29 of Schedule 3 to the Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) Act 1999 (c. 2).

[^f00002]: 1992 c. 5.

[^f00003]: Section 176(1)(a) was amended by paragraph 23 of Schedule 9 to the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (c. 14) and was repealed, to the extent that it related to council tax benefit, by Part 1 of Schedule 14 to the Welfare Reform Act 2012 (c. 5).

[^f00004]: S.I. 2006/213, to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations.

[^f00005]: S.I. 2013/376. Definition inserted by S.I. 2014/771.

[^f00006]: Definition inserted by S.I. 2018/65.