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

S.I. 2025/1077 · Made 13 October 2025

Original text. legislation.gov.uk does not revise statutory instruments, so later amendments are not shown here. Changes made to it are listed under each provision when known.

SOCIAL SECURITY

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 1992f1.

In accordance with section 189(8) of that Actf2, the Secretary of State has obtained the consent of the Treasury.

In accordance with section 176(1)(b) of that Actf3, the Secretary of State has consulted with organisations appearing to the Secretary of State to be representative of the authorities concerned.

Annotations to the whole text

Footnotes

f1

1992 c. 5. Sections 140B, 140C and 140F were inserted by paragraph 4 of Schedule 12 to the Housing Act 1996 (c. 52). Section 140B(1) was amended by paragraph 7 of Schedule 1 to the Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act 1997 (c. 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). Sections 140B, 140C and 140F were repealed by Part 1 of Schedule 14 to the Welfare Reform Act 2012 (c. 5) so far as they relate to the abolition of council tax benefit.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) and by paragraph 10 of Schedule 1 to the Fraud Act.

f2

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).

f3

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

Contents

  1. 1Citation, commencement and extent
  2. 2Amendment of the Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Order 1998 and application of amendments
  3. 3Housing Benefit Assurance Process
  4. 4Deductions to be made in calculating subsidy: overpayment
  5. 5The amount of an authority’s subsidy
  6. 6Additional amount of subsidy: Verify Earnings and Pension Alerts Service
  7. 7Additional amount of subsidy: Housing Benefit Award Accuracy Initiative
  8. 8Rent rebate deductions from the subsidy of an authority in Wales
  9. Signature
  10. Schedule Substitution of Schedule 1 to the Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Order 1998
  11. Explanatory note

1Citation, commencement and extent

(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.

2Amendment of the Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Order 1998 and application of amendments

(1)

The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Order 1998f1 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 yearf2 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.

3Housing Benefit Assurance Process

In article 2 (interpretation of Parts 2 and 4), in the definition of “HBAP”, for “1st April 2024” substitute “28th April 2025”f1.

4Deductions to be made in calculating subsidy: overpayment

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(1)(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.”.

5The amount of an authority’s subsidy

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

6Additional amount of subsidy: Verify Earnings and Pension Alerts Service

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 2024f1”.

7Additional amount of subsidy: Housing Benefit Award Accuracy Initiative

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 2024f1”;

(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 2024f2”.

8Rent rebate deductions from the subsidy of an authority in Wales

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 Council121.353.58
Cardiff City Council136.943.78
Carmarthenshire County Council120.503.41
Denbighshire County Council121.633.18
Flintshire County Council127.125.04
Isle of Anglesey County Council122.294.96
Pembrokeshire County Council123.354.51
Powys County Council124.513.83
Swansea City Council122.243.01
Vale of Glamorgan Council135.425.18
Wrexham County Borough Council125.173.64

”.

Signature

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

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

“Schedule 1

Sums to be used in the calculation of subsidy

Article 12(1)(b)

Relevant Year 2024-2025

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

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 [email protected].

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.