You may be able to sub-let the extra room(s) in your home. If you let a room:

• You won’t be affected by the new under occupation rules
• You’ll have someone to help pay the bills
• You’ll have more money in your pocket

If you aren’t sure if you can sub-let, check if you need permission from your landlord. Tell them you are going to be affected by the Housing Benefit cuts.

If you do sub-let a room(s) then you won’t be affected by the new 'extra bedroom' rules. Although if you have more than one spare room you will need to sub-let to the correct number of lodgers. If you receive more than £20 a week then the income you get will affect your housing benefit.

To see how you would be affected if you let a room try entering your details into our benefits calculator. To see what you would get if you had a lodger select ‘yes’ to the question “Do you share your home with anyone else?”

A good place to find someone to sublet a room to is www.easyroommate.com. Your landlord or local authority may also have a list of people who are looking.

If you sub-let a room to a friend or relative and don’t charge rent then a different set of rules apply. In this case whether your Housing Benefit is reduced depends on the circumstances of the person who is living with you. For example, there are special rules that apply to students and people who are out of work. For more information see non-dependants.