What is Specified Accommodation under Housing Benefit regulations?
Housing Benefit regulations call supported accommodation Specified Accommodation.
There are four categories of Specified Accommodation:
- Exempt accommodation
- Managed properties
- Refuges
- Local Authority hostels
Who can provide Supported Accommodation?
Exempt accommodation must be provided by one of the following landlords, where that body or a person acting on its behalf also provides the claimant with care, support or supervision:
- A non-metropolitan county council in England
- A housing association
- A registered charity, or
- A voluntary organisation
Managed properties must be provided by one of the above landlords, but do not have to provide the care, support or supervision themselves.
Refuges must also be provided by one of the above landlords or a local housing authority. The accommodation must be provided because the claimant left their home as a result of domestic abuse.
LA hostels must be provided by the local authority and is covered by the definition of hostel under the Housing Benefit regulations.
All claims in specified accommodation must be in receipt of care, support or supervision to be eligible for Housing Benefit. The exception to this rule is refuges where care, support or supervision does not have to be provided.
What affects a claimant's housing benefit entitlement?
The amount of Housing Benefit a claimant could be entitled to will be affected by different factors including:
- Their personal circumstances including income and household make up
- The specified accommodation category the property comes under
- The eligible rent charges that are agreed by Housing Benefit as reasonable
If the landlord is not any of those set out above and the claimant is working age, they should claim Universal Credit for assistance with housing costs as they will not be eligible for Housing Benefit.