Collection

Housing Benefit for local authorities: subsidy circulars

Subsidy (S) circulars are about the money the government pays local authorities to administer Housing Benefit and other financial matters.

• From: Department for Work and Pensions
• Published: 17 October 2013
• Last updated: 24 February 2023 — See all updates

Housing Benefit subsidy (S) circulars give information about:

• the money the government pays local authorities in the form of a subsidy to administer Housing Benefit
• other financial matters for local authority staff

The circulars make many references to Council Tax Benefit as this was administered by local authorities alongside Housing Benefit until March 2013. In April 2013 Council Tax Benefit was replaced by local authorities’ own council tax support and reduction schemes, removing DWP’s involvement. Readers will need to consider references to Council Tax Benefit in these documents accordingly.

For enquiries about the distribution of circulars, email: housing.correspondenceandpqs@dwp.gsi.gov.uk.

Other information for local authorities about Housing Benefit

We also publish:

• Housing Benefit adjudication (A) circulars that update the Housing Benefit guidance manual
• general and urgent information bulletins that give information about social security benefits, tax credits and council tax support arrangements for local authoritiy staff

Subsidy circulars

Find HB subsidy circulars before 2011 on the National Archives website.

• Housing Benefit subsidy circulars 2024
  • 20 December 2024
  • Guidance
• Housing Benefit subsidy circulars 2023
  • 19 December 2023
  • Guidance
• Housing Benefit subsidy circulars 2022
  • 18 November 2022
  • Guidance
• Housing Benefit subsidy circulars 2021
  • 17 June 2022
  • Guidance
• Housing Benefit subsidy circulars 2020
  • 26 November 2020
  • Guidance
• Housing Benefit subsidy circulars 2019
  • 27 November 2019
  • Guidance
• Housing Benefit subsidy circulars 2018
  • 5 November 2018
  • Guidance
• Housing Benefit subsidy circulars 2017
  • 28 March 2018
  • Guidance
• Housing Benefit subsidy circulars 2016
  • 21 December 2016
  • Guidance
• Housing Benefit subsidy circulars 2015
  • 18 December 2015
  • Guidance
• Housing Benefit subsidy circulars 2014
  • 10 January 2017
  • Guidance
• Housing Benefit subsidy circulars 2013
  • 1 January 2013
  • Guidance
• Housing Benefit subsidy circulars 2012
  • 1 January 2012
  • Guidance
• Housing Benefit subsidy circulars 2011
  • 1 January 2011
  • Guidance

Published 17 October 2013
Last updated 24 February 2023 + show all updates

1. 24 February 2023

   Added Housing Benefit subsidy circulars 2023.

2. 24 February 2022

   Added 2022 subsidy circulars page to the collection.

3. 15 March 2021

   Added 'Housing Benefit subsidy circulars 2021'.

4. 30 March 2015

   Published HB Subsidy Circular S4/2015: Additional funding to meet the costs of implementing welfare reform changes in 2015/16.

5. 16 March 2015

   Published HB Subsidy Circular S3/2015: Fraud and Error Reduction Incentive Scheme 2015/16 funding.

6. 30 January 2015

   Added HB Subsidy Circular S1/2015: Discretionary Housing Payments government contribution for tax year 2015 to 2016.

7. 28 November 2014

   Published HB Subsidy Circular S11/2014 about Real Time Information bulk data matching initiative compensation payments for local authorities.

8. 25 November 2014

   Published HB Subsidy Circular S10/2014: Fraud and Error Reduction Incentive Scheme funding.

9. 20 November 2014

   Added circular S9/2014: Payment of New Burdens relating to the Single Fraud Investigation Service for 2014/15.

10. 20 November 2014

    Added circulars S6/2014 - Scotland and S7/2014 - Wales.

11. 17 October 2013

    First published.