MRAssociates — Knowledge base

Basic info

“Specified accommodation” is a term used in Housing Benefit and Universal Credit to describe supported accommodation where some of the rules that normally limit the amount of rent covered by a housing benefit award do not apply.

Specified accommodation includes:

• Exempt accommodation, which is exempt from most benefit restrictions. On this site exempt accommodation is referred to as “Category 1” specified accommodation
• Other supported accommodation which is exempt from fewer benefit restrictions than exempt accommodation but is still treated more favourably than general needs accommodation. “Other supported accommodation” means:
  • Accommodation provided by a social or voluntary sector landlord where the benefit claimant is provided with care, support or supervision but that care, support or supervision is provided neither by the landlord nor by someone who is acting on the landlord’s behalf. We have called this “Category 2” specified accommodation
  • A domestic violence refuge provided by a local authority or by a social or voluntary sector landlord: “Category 3” specified accommodation
  • A hostel provided by a local authority: “Category 4” specified accommodation