The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2025
Source: legislation.gov.uk (2025-11-04)

This Order amends the Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Order 1998 (S.I. 1998/562) (“the 1998 Order”) which provides for the calculation and payment of housing benefit subsidy to local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland which administer housing benefit. Sections 140C(4) and 140F(2) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (c. 5) authorise the making, revocation or varying of an Order before, during or after the year to which it relates.

Statutory Instruments

2025 No. 1077

SOCIAL SECURITY

The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2025

Made

13th October 2025

Laid before Parliament

14th October 2025

Coming into force

4th November 2025

The Secretary of State makes this Order in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 140B(1), (3), (4) and (4A), 140C(1), (1A), (2), (3) and (4), 140F(2) and 189(1), (4), (6) and (7) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992(1 (\"#f00001\")).

In accordance with section 189(8) of that Act(2 (\"#f00002\")), the Secretary of State has obtained the consent of the Treasury.

In accordance with section 176(1)(b) of that Act(3 (\"#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) This Order may be cited as the Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2025 and comes into force on 4th November 2025.

(2) This Order extends to England and Wales and Scotland.

Amendment of the Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Order 1998 and application of amendments

2.—(1) The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Order 1998(4 (\"#f00004\")) is amended in accordance with articles 3 to 8.

(2) Articles 3, 5, 6 and 7 and the Schedule apply for the purpose of determining subsidy payable for the relevant year(5 (\"#f00005\")) beginning on 1st April 2024.

(3) Article 8 applies for the purpose of determining subsidy payable for the relevant year beginning on 1st April 2025.

Housing Benefit Assurance Process

3. In article 2 (interpretation of Parts 2 and 4), in the definition of “HBAP”, for “1st April 2024” substitute “28th April 2025”(6 (\"#f00006\")).

Deductions to be made in calculating subsidy: overpayment

4. In article 19 (deductions to be made in calculating subsidy)—

(a)in paragraph (1), for “paragraph (4)” substitute “paragraphs (3A), (3B) and (4)”;

(b)after paragraph (3) insert—

“(3A) Paragraph (3B) applies for the purpose of determining the amount of subsidy payable for a relevant year beginning on or after 1st April 2024.

(3B) Where an overpayment of a type specified in any of sub-paragraphs (e) to (g) of paragraph (1) was made in any earlier relevant year, the amount deducted for that overpayment under article 11(2)(b) may, where the authority considers it appropriate, be limited to the amount of subsidy calculated in accordance with article 13(b) which is attributable to that overpayment.

(3C) In paragraph (3B), “earlier relevant year” means a relevant year earlier than that in which the deduction takes place.”.

The amount of an authority’s subsidy

5. For Schedule 1 (sums to be used in the calculation of subsidy) substitute the Schedule 1 set out in the Schedule to this Order.

Additional amount of subsidy: Verify Earnings and Pension Alerts Service

6. In Schedule 1ZB (additional amount of subsidy: Verify Earnings and Pension Alerts Service), in paragraph 2 (additional amount: relevant year beginning with 1st April 2024)—

(a)for “is the amount” substitute “is the sum of the amounts”;

(b)at the end insert “and in the Housing Benefit Circular HB S8/2024 first published by the Department for Work and Pensions on 20th December 2024(7 (\"#f00007\"))”.

Additional amount of subsidy: Housing Benefit Award Accuracy Initiative

7. In Schedule 1ZC (additional amount of subsidy: Housing Benefit Award Accuracy Initiative)—

(a)in paragraph 1 (interpretation), in the definition of “HBAAI”, for “Housing Benefit Circular HB A4/2023” to the end of that definition substitute “Housing Benefit Circular HB A5/2024 first published by the Department for Work and Pensions on 23rd April 2024(8 (\"#f00008\"))”;

(b)in paragraph 2 (additional amount: relevant year beginning on 1st April 2023)—

(i)in the heading, for “1st April 2023” substitute “1st April 2024”;

(ii)for “1st April 2023” substitute “1st April 2024”;

(iii)for “Housing Benefit Circular” to the end substitute “Housing Benefit Circular HB S5/2024 first published by the Department for Work and Pensions on 23rd April 2024(9 (\"#f00009\"))”.

Rent rebate deductions from the subsidy of an authority in Wales

8. In Schedule 4A (rent rebate limitation deductions (Housing Revenue Account dwellings): authorities in Wales)—

(a)in paragraph 3(2), for “1st April 2024 is 0.397” substitute “1st April 2025 is 0.369”;

(b)for paragraph 4, but not including the heading, substitute—

“4. The amounts for the relevant year beginning on 1st April 2025 for the purposes of paragraph 2 are as follows—

Local authority(1) Specified amount “O” (£)(2) Guideline rent increase “P” (£)Caerphilly County Borough Council121.353.58Cardiff City Council136.943.78Carmarthenshire County Council120.503.41Denbighshire County Council121.633.18Flintshire County Council127.125.04Isle of Anglesey County Council122.294.96Pembrokeshire County Council123.354.51Powys County Council124.513.83Swansea City Council122.243.01Vale of Glamorgan Council135.425.18Wrexham County Borough Council125.173.64”.

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

Stephen Timms

Minister of State

Department for Work and Pensions

13th October 2025

We consent

Taiwo Owatemi

Christian Wakeford

Two of the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty’s Treasury

13th October 2025

Article 5

ScheduleSubstitution of Schedule 1 to the Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Order 1998

Article 12(1)(b)

“Schedule 1 Sums to be used in the calculation of subsidy

Relevant Year 2024-2025

Local authorityAdministration subsidy (£)EnglandAdur District Council168,550Amber Valley Borough Council329,797Arun District Council405,459Ashfield District Council372,208Ashford Borough Council338,604Babergh District Council190,118London Borough of Barking and Dagenham924,124London Borough of Barnet1,509,250Barnsley Borough Council858,497Basildon District Council600,000Basingstoke and Deane District Council389,904Bassetlaw District Council317,124Bath and North East Somerset Council447,937Bedford Borough Council520,834London Borough of Bexley607,226Birmingham City Council6,268,442Blaby District Council151,595Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council521,838Blackpool Borough Council697,235Bolsover District Council245,893Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council1,005,095Boston Borough Council191,453Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council1,262,294Bracknell Forest Borough Council272,330Bradford Metropolitan Borough Council1,650,227Braintree District Council364,025Breckland District Council329,374London Borough of Brent1,704,405Brentwood District Council137,613Brighton and Hove Council1,188,488Bristol City Council1,675,554Broadland District Council218,023London Borough of Bromley866,470Bromsgrove District Council178,055Broxbourne Borough Council271,237Broxtowe Council248,500Buckinghamshire Council1,005,797Burnley Borough Council386,005Bury Metropolitan Borough Council560,142Calderdale Borough Council847,713Cambridge City Council348,172London Borough of Camden1,512,857Cannock Chase District Council262,263Canterbury City Council402,811Castle Point District Council189,776Central Bedfordshire Council555,680Charnwood Borough Council348,005Chelmsford Borough Council383,259Cheltenham Borough Council300,956Cherwell District Council316,902Cheshire East Council795,516Cheshire West and Chester Council918,617Chesterfield Borough Council403,765Chichester District Council291,437Chorley Borough Council280,499City of London63,711Colchester Borough Council466,042Cornwall Council1,741,459Cotswold District Council182,942Coventry City Council1,133,518Crawley Borough Council382,034London Borough of Croydon1,670,074Cumberland Council790,882Dacorum Borough Council417,986Darlington Borough Council383,739Dartford Borough Council252,084Derby City Council847,985Derbyshire Dales District Council141,412Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council1,039,593Dorset Council924,249Dover District Council378,576Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council916,034Durham County Council2,022,609London Borough of Ealing1,586,025East Cambridgeshire District Council178,328East Devon District Council308,618East Hampshire District Council202,625East Hertfordshire District Council278,434East Lindsey District Council464,725East Riding of Yorkshire Council708,395East Staffordshire Borough Council259,301East Suffolk Council677,920Eastbourne Borough Council431,971Eastleigh Borough Council268,364Elmbridge Borough Council278,068London Borough of Enfield1,847,508Epping Forest District Council294,276Epsom and Ewell Borough Council165,386Erewash Borough Council330,843Exeter City Council390,214Fareham Borough Council171,233Fenland District Council292,434Folkestone and Hythe District Council355,028Forest of Dean District Council220,002Fylde Borough Council205,171Gateshead Borough Council870,065Gedling Borough Council266,689Gloucester City Council386,093Gosport Borough Council247,779Gravesham Borough Council278,169Great Yarmouth Council422,613Royal Borough of Greenwich1,504,546Guildford Borough Council272,761London Borough of Hackney2,398,650Halton Borough Council544,854London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham1,122,434Harborough District Council137,026London Borough of Haringey1,704,846Harlow District Council337,603Harrow Council807,776Hart District Council120,109Hartlepool Borough Council481,089Hastings Borough Council480,262Havant Borough Council269,884London Borough of Havering630,461Herefordshire Council453,778Hertsmere Borough Council290,159High Peak Borough Council231,061London Borough of Hillingdon953,925Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council213,125Horsham District Council266,478London Borough of Hounslow1,015,552Huntingdonshire District Council333,564Hyndburn Borough Council310,681Ipswich Borough Council483,036Isle of Wight Council476,343Council of the Isles of Scilly1,734London Borough of Islington1,665,897Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea1,083,719Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council382,044Hull City Council1,283,677Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames467,322Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council1,251,555Knowsley Borough Council742,248London Borough of Lambeth1,933,882Lancaster City Council427,456Leeds City Council2,558,738Leicester City Council1,181,395Lewes District Council274,856London Borough of Lewisham1,817,443Lichfield District Council199,705City of Lincoln Council368,608Liverpool City Council2,640,160Luton Borough Council685,036Maidstone Borough Council390,736Maldon District Council131,415Malvern Hills District Council179,312Manchester City Council2,733,908Mansfield District Council366,414Medway Council738,065Melton Borough Council106,717London Borough of Merton549,716Mid Devon District Council184,463Mid Suffolk District Council176,135Mid Sussex District Council259,793Middlesbrough Council657,029Milton Keynes Borough Council816,257Mole Valley District Council185,274New Forest District Council373,181Newark and Sherwood District Council305,426Newcastle-Under-Lyme Borough Council323,447Newcastle City Council1,312,597London Borough of Newham1,841,037North Devon District Council277,024North East Derbyshire District Council282,630North East Lincolnshire Council575,860North Hertfordshire District Council287,657North Kesteven District Council213,616North Lincolnshire Council459,772North Norfolk District Council287,693North Northamptonshire Council832,091North Somerset Council579,809North Tyneside Borough Council731,183North Warwickshire District Council154,583North West Leicestershire District Council207,130North Yorkshire Council1,346,339Northumberland County Council934,537Norwich City Council634,059Nottingham City Council1,419,394Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council388,016Oadby and Wigston Borough Council101,030Oldham Borough Council838,458Oxford City Council456,851Pendle Borough Council267,404Peterborough City Council678,063Plymouth City Council996,596Portsmouth City Council891,714Preston Borough Council497,529Reading Borough Council564,803London Borough of Redbridge1,000,025Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council543,213Redditch Borough Council252,162Reigate and Banstead Borough Council309,035Ribble Valley Borough Council92,377London Borough of Richmond upon Thames484,871Rochdale Borough Council879,897Rochford District Council145,810Rossendale Borough Council197,127Rother District Council259,244Rotherham Borough Council919,858Rugby Borough Council238,394Runnymede Borough Council178,073Rushcliffe Borough Council184,514Rushmoor Borough Council285,738Rutland County Council73,346Salford City Council1,187,209Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council1,161,275Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council1,023,200Sevenoaks District Council250,131Sheffield City Council2,005,302Shropshire Council719,302Slough Borough Council507,453Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council535,120Somerset Council1,524,673South Cambridgeshire District Council291,522South Derbyshire District Council183,769South Gloucestershire Council500,308South Hams District Council209,496South Holland District Council193,697South Kesteven District Council317,015South Norfolk District Council261,776South Oxfordshire District Council245,188South Ribble Borough Council220,430South Staffordshire District Council233,612South Tyneside Council752,717Southampton City Council981,406Southend-on-Sea City Council677,833London Borough of Southwark1,968,200Spelthorne Borough Council234,185St Albans District Council278,504St Helens Borough Council689,428Stafford Borough Council262,194Staffordshire Moorlands District Council169,213Stevenage Borough Council292,537Stockport Borough Council741,802Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council657,685Stoke-on-Trent City Council955,837Stratford-on-Avon District Council270,289Stroud District Council259,522Sunderland City Council1,265,287Surrey Heath Borough Council142,664London Borough of Sutton645,052Swale Borough Council450,601Swindon Borough Council614,102Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council887,945Tamworth Borough Council215,578Tandridge District Council185,839Teignbridge District Council328,415Telford and Wrekin Council624,162Tendring District Council506,017Test Valley Borough Council258,264Tewkesbury Borough Council185,076Thanet District Council568,814Three Rivers Council201,957Thurrock Borough Council466,529Tonbridge and Malling District Council279,338Torbay Council544,037Torridge District Council184,048London Borough of Tower Hamlets2,104,618Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council610,943Tunbridge Wells Borough Council265,821Uttlesford District Council157,728Vale of White Horse District Council242,887Wakefield Council1,191,510Walsall Borough Council978,019London Borough of Waltham Forest1,029,420London Borough of Wandsworth1,508,603Warrington Borough Council563,462Warwick District Council284,406Watford Borough Council300,487Waverley Borough Council237,655Wealden District Council277,466Welwyn Hatfield District Council370,287West Berkshire Council336,017West Devon Borough Council131,940West Lancashire District Council294,801West Lindsey District Council251,109West Northamptonshire Council912,188West Oxfordshire District Council210,282West Suffolk Council404,717City of Westminster1,576,904Westmorland and Furness Council501,989Wigan Council1,018,723Wiltshire Council1,029,483Winchester City Council250,881Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead286,152Wirral Borough Council1,298,734Woking Borough Council222,898Wokingham District Council208,338Wolverhampton City Council1,022,685Worcester City Council284,220Worthing Borough Council333,327Wychavon District Council275,362Wyre Borough Council305,435Wyre Forest District Council305,508City of York Council403,458WalesBlaenau Gwent County Borough Council340,407Bridgend County Borough Council494,803Caerphilly County Borough Council689,507Cardiff City Council1,371,368Carmarthenshire County Council561,895Ceredigion Council211,832Conwy County Borough Council420,006Denbighshire County Council379,369Flintshire County Council438,759Gwynedd Council351,929Isle of Anglesey County Council226,283Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council237,984Monmouthshire County Council245,751Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council629,102Newport City Council611,268Pembrokeshire County Council394,186Powys County Council356,333Rhondda-Cynon-Taff County Borough Council833,755Swansea City Council952,972Torfaen Borough Council413,585Vale of Glamorgan Council388,561Wrexham County Borough Council475,173ScotlandAberdeen City Council694,211Aberdeenshire Council487,618Angus Council378,762Argyll and Bute Council298,092Clackmannanshire Council243,760Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar Council72,781Dumfries and Galloway Council578,247Dundee City Council827,365East Ayrshire Council528,436East Dunbartonshire Council223,360East Lothian District Council351,145East Renfrewshire Council199,796City of Edinburgh Council1,775,114Falkirk District Council597,534Fife Council1,421,133Glasgow City Council4,055,105Highland Council707,899Inverclyde District Council420,008Midlothian Council311,951Moray Council256,430North Ayrshire Council703,196North Lanarkshire Council1,477,341Orkney Islands Council64,869Perth and Kinross Council388,219Renfrewshire Council735,556Scottish Borders Council387,069Shetland Islands Council60,695South Ayrshire Council463,365South Lanarkshire Council1,208,944Stirling Council292,591West Dunbartonshire Council475,688West Lothian Council722,186”.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Order 1998 (S.I. 1998/562 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/1998/562\")) (“the 1998 Order”) which provides for the calculation and payment of housing benefit subsidy to local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland which administer housing benefit. Sections 140C(4) and 140F(2) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (c. 5) (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/1992/5\") authorise the making, revocation or varying of an Order before, during or after the year to which it relates.

Article 3 updates the definition of “HBAP” in article 2 of the 1998 Order to refer to the appropriate version of the Housing Benefit Assurance Process, published on 28th April 2025.

Article 4 provides that the local authority may, in calculating subsidy for the relevant year, limit the amount of deductions for overpayments made in any earlier relevant years to the amount of subsidy local authorities received in respect of those overpayments.

Article 5 and the Schedule substitute Schedule 1 to the 1998 Order, which prescribes the sums used in the calculation of subsidy for the year beginning 1st April 2024.

Article 6 amends Schedule 1ZB to the 1998 Order which prescribes a system for the making of additional payments of subsidy to authorities administering alerts relating to the earnings and pension entitlement of claimants for housing benefit. The amendment provides that the additional amount of subsidy relating to those alerts for the year beginning on 1st April 2024 includes the amounts specified in the Housing Benefit Circular published on 20th December 2024.

Article 7 amends Schedule 1ZC to the 1998 Order which prescribes a system for the making of additional payments of subsidy to authorities verifying the accuracy of information held in respect of the household, income and capital, and general financial circumstances of claimants for housing benefit. The amendment to paragraph 1 of that Schedule updates the definition of “HBAAI” to refer to the most recent version of the Housing Benefit Award Accuracy Initiative, published on 23rd April 2024. The amendments to paragraph 2 of that Schedule update the Schedule to refer to the additional amounts of subsidy payable for the year beginning on 1st April 2024. The amounts were notified by the Secretary of State to local authorities on 23rd April 2024.

Article 8 amends Schedule 4A to the 1998 Order, both to update the rebate proportion figure for 2025/2026 to 0.369 and to set out revised specified amounts “O” and guideline rent increases “P” used when calculating deductions from subsidy under paragraph 2 of Schedule 4A. The amendments to Schedule 4A have effect for the purposes of determining subsidy payable for the year beginning on 1st April 2025 for authorities in Wales.

Hard copies of the circulars referenced in this Order are available by writing to the Department for Work and Pensions, Local Authority Partnership, Engagement and Delivery Division, Peel Park Phase 2, First Floor Blue Zone, Brunel Way, Blackpool, Lancashire FY4 5ES or by emailing xxx@xxx.xx (\"mailto:xxx@xxx.xx\").

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

(1)

1992 c. 5 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/1992/5\"). Sections 140B, 140C and 140F were inserted by paragraph 4 of Schedule 12 to the Housing Act 1996 (c. 52) (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/1996/52\"). Section 140B(1) was amended by paragraph 7 of Schedule 1 to the Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act 1997 (c. 47) (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/1997/47\") (“the Fraud Act”). Section 140B(4) was substituted and section 140B(4A) was inserted by section 10 of the Fraud Act. Section 140C(1A) was inserted by paragraph 37 of Schedule 7 to the Local Government Act 2003 (c. 26) (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2003/26\"). Sections 140B, 140C and 140F were repealed by Part 1 of Schedule 14 to the Welfare Reform Act 2012 (c. 5) (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2012/5\") so far as they relate to the abolition of council tax benefit. There are amendments to section 189(1), (4) and (6) which are not relevant to this Order. Section 189(7) was amended by paragraph 24 of Schedule 9 to the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (c. 14) (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/1992/14\") and by paragraph 10 of Schedule 1 to the Fraud Act.

(2)

Relevant amendments were made by paragraph 3(5) of Schedule 13 to the Housing Act 1996 and paragraph 3 of Schedule 4 to the Tax Credits Act 2002 (c. 21) (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2002/21\").

(3)

Section 176(1)(b) was amended by paragraph 3(4) of Schedule 13 to the Housing Act 1996.

(4)

S.I. 1998/562 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/1998/562\") (“the 1998 Order”); relevant amending instruments are S.I. 2004/646 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2004/646\"), 2005/369 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2005/369\"), 2009/2580 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2009/2580\"), 2010/2509 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2010/2509\"), 2011/2957 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2011/2957\"), 2018/985 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2018/985\"), 2021/1031 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2021/1031\"), 2023/1040 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2023/1040\") and 2024/1092 (\"http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2024/1092\").

(5)

See article 1(2) of the 1998 Order for the meaning of “relevant year”. See section 140G of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 for the definition of “year”.

(6)

See, in relation to the financial year ending March 2025, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/housing-benefit-assurance-process-hbap#full-publication-update-history (\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/housing-benefit-assurance-process-hbap#full-publication-update-history\"). The relevant HBAP publication is contained in HBAP Module 1 and Module 6.

(7)

See https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/housing-benefit-subsidy-circulars-2024/s82024-additional-funding-for-the-verify-earnings-and-pensions-service-for-the-financial-year-ending-march-2025 (\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/housing-benefit-subsidy-circulars-2024/s82024-additional-funding-for-the-verify-earnings-and-pensions-service-for-the-financial-year-ending-march-2025\").

(8)

See https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/housing-benefit-adjudication-circulars-2024/a52024-housing-benefit-award-accuracy-initiative-for-the-financial-year-ending-march-2025 (\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/housing-benefit-adjudication-circulars-2024/a52024-housing-benefit-award-accuracy-initiative-for-the-financial-year-ending-march-2025\").

(9)

See https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/housing-benefit-subsidy-circulars-2024/s52024-housing-benefit-award-accuracy-initiative-funding-for-the-financial-year-ending-march-2025-for-local-authorities-participating-from-1-april-20 (\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/housing-benefit-subsidy-circulars-2024/s52024-housing-benefit-award-accuracy-initiative-funding-for-the-financial-year-ending-march-2025-for-local-authorities-participating-from-1-april-20\").