Housing Benefit entitlement: renting from relatives

Claimants who rent from a close relative and reside with them are not entitled to Housing Benefit.

Claimants who rent from, but who do not reside with close relatives, may be entitlement to Housing Benefit. Local authorities will want to be satisfied that the arrangement has not been entered into in order to take advantage of the Housing Benefit scheme, and that it does not amount to a non-commercial arrangement.

Local authorities should consider the facts of each individual case and not adopt blanket policies.