Statutory Instruments
2026 No. 5
HOUSING
The Rent Officers (Housing Benefit and Universal Credit Functions) (Modification) Order 2026
Made
6th January 2026
Laid before Parliament
8th January 2026
Coming into force
30th January 2026
The Secretary of State makes this Order in exercise of the powers conferred by section 122(1) and (6)(b) of the Housing Act 1996(1).
Citation, commencement and extent
1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit and Universal Credit Functions) (Modification) Order 2026 and comes into force on 30th January 2026.
(2) This Order extends to England and Wales and Scotland.
Modification to the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) Order 1997
2. For the purposes of determining the local housing allowances in 2026, Schedule 3B to the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) Order 1997 (broad rental market area determinations and local housing allowance determinations)(2) is to be read as if for paragraph 2(2) there were substituted—
“(2) For all broad rental market areas the local housing allowance for any category of dwelling is the allowance determined for that category of dwelling on 31st January 2024.”.
Modification to the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) (Scotland) Order 1997
3. For the purposes of determining the local housing allowances in 2026, Schedule 3B to the Rent Officers (Housing Benefit Functions) (Scotland) Order 1997 (broad rental market area determinations and local housing allowance determinations)(3) is to be read as if for paragraph 2(2) there were substituted—
“(2) For all broad rental market areas the local housing allowance for any category of dwelling is the allowance determined for that category of dwelling on 31st January 2024.”.
Modification to the Rent Officers (Universal Credit Functions) Order 2013
4. For the purposes of determining the local housing allowances in 2026, Schedule 1 to the Rent Officers (Universal Credit Functions) Order 2013 (local housing allowance determinations)(4) is to be read as if for paragraph 2(2) there were substituted—
“(2) For all broad rental market areas the local housing allowance for any category of accommodation is the allowance determined for that category of accommodation on 31st January 2024.”.
Signed by the authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Stephen Timms
Minister of State
Department for Work and Pensions
6th January 2026
1996 c. 52; section 122(1) was amended by paragraph 36 of Schedule 2 to the Welfare Reform Act 2012 (c. 5).
S.I. 1997/1984; Schedule 3B was inserted by S.I. 2007/2871; relevant amending instruments are S.I. 2013/2978, 2020/27, 371, 2024/11.
S.I. 1997/1995 (S. 144); Schedule 3B was inserted by S.I. 2007/2871; relevant amending instruments are S.I. 2013/2978, 2020/27, 371, 2024/11.
S.I. 2013/382; relevant amending instruments are S.I. 2013/2978, 2020/27, 371, 2024/11.