Yes, someone can live with you in your council house — but there are rules you’ll need to follow. What’s allowed often depends on your tenancy agreement and whether you get benefits. While there are general council housing rules, different councils may have their own specific guidelines. It’s important to understand what applies to you to avoid any problems.
Keep reading to find out more about what you can and can’t do when it comes to having someone live with you in your council house.
If someone wants to move in, the rules will depend on your situation — especially if you claim benefits like Universal Credit or Housing Benefit.
If you’re on benefits, having someone move in could reduce how much you get. This is because the government expects other adults (known as non-dependants) to help pay for the household.
Even if they don’t actually give you any money, your benefits might still go down. You could get a deduction for every adult who moves in — whether they pay rent or not.
Always tell the council or DWP if your situation changes.
If you don’t claim benefits, you still need to tell your landlord or housing officer if someone moves in. Your tenancy agreement probably has rules about who can live with you.
Some agreements also ban subletting — which is when you rent out part or all of the home that you are renting to someone else. If you’re unsure, have a chat with your housing officer or landlord to check where you stand.
Your rights and responsibilities can change depending on your tenancy type. If you’re not sure which one you have, check your tenancy agreement or ask your council.
This is usually a 12-month trial period for new tenants. You won’t be allowed to:
Once your trial period is over, your council might upgrade you to a secure or flexible tenancy.
If you’re a secure tenant, you can usually stay in your home for life as long as you follow the rules.
You might be able to:
You can’t sublet the whole property.
Flexible tenancies last a fixed number of years — usually five. After that, your council might renew it, offer you a secure tenancy, or decide not to renew.
With a flexible tenancy, you can:
You still can’t sublet the whole property.
A joint tenancy means two or more people share the same legal rights and responsibilities for the home.
You usually need to live together for at least 12 months before applying to add someone to the tenancy. If approved, they’ll have equal rights to stay in the property.
There’s no set time limit on how long a guest can stay — but if someone stays for weeks or months, your landlord might see them as living there rather than just visiting.
If a guest starts using your address for things like post, work, the electoral roll or registering for a GP, the council could class them as part of your household. This might affect your benefits or your tenancy.
It’s always best to let your housing officer know if someone plans to stay longer than a couple of weeks — just to be on the safe side.
If you’re a secure or flexible tenant and not claiming Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, you might be able to rent out a spare room. But you’ll need to tell your council first.
Taking in a lodger without permission could break your tenancy agreement and put your home at risk.
You can’t sublet the whole property unless the council agrees — and that’s very rare.
In some cases, yes — but it depends on your tenancy type and your local council’s rules.
If you’re a secure or flexible tenant, you might be able to pass your tenancy on to:
You’ll need to fill out a 'request to assign tenancy' form from your local council’s housing department.
The council will decide whether to approve the transfer based on your circumstances.
You can ask your council about making someone a joint tenant, but it’s not always guaranteed.
If you’ve lived together for at least 12 months and both agree, the council might update the tenancy agreement. This gives both of you equal rights to live in the property — but also means you share responsibility for paying the rent.
Living in a council house comes with rules that help protect your home and your tenancy. If someone is moving in, or staying for a while, it’s always worth double-checking your tenancy agreement and speaking to your council or housing officer.
That way, you’ll stay on the right side of the rules — and avoid any problems with your benefits or your tenancy down the line.
Disclaimer: We make every effort to ensure content is correct when published. Information on this website doesn't constitute financial advice, and we aren't responsible for the content of any external sites.
Fiona is a personal finance writer with over 7 years’ experience writing for a broad range of industries before joining Ocean in 2021. She uses her wealth of experience to turn the overwhelming aspects of finance into articles that are easy to understand.
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