We’re writing to most of our residents imminently, setting out rent and service charges from 1 April 2026 when the new financial year begins.
The letters have been tailored to account for individual circumstances and to make clear what you’re being charged for and why. They also include information we need to cover for legal reasons. Please make sure you read your rent/service charges letter in full. Find out more about our approach to setting rent and service charges as well as see some frequently asked questions on our website.
For most residents, your rent will increase by 4.8%. This is in line with the usual formula set by our regulator – the consumer price index (CPI) of inflation in September 2025 + 1%.
We appreciate that any rise is unwelcome, especially given ongoing cost-of-living pressures. Unfortunately, high inflation has also driven up our costs, which means we need to increase rents to ensure we can continue to make improvements to homes and services and manage our properties well.
Please look at the range of advice and resources we offer if you need help.
The best way for you to ask any questions about your rent or service charges is via My Account or by contacting your housing or property manager.
Reporting your annual rent increase to Universal Credit and Housing Benefit
Here is some useful information on how to report your rent increase to the DWP if you receive Universal Credit or to the local authority, if you get Housing Benefit.
If you are receiving Universal Credit (including a Housing Costs element)
You can only tell Universal Credit the rent increase ON or AFTER the date the rent change takes effect.
- If you pay your rent on a monthly basis report on 1 April
- If you pay your rent on a weekly basis report on Monday 6 April 2026
Don’t inform Universal Credit before these dates, otherwise you will have to repeat the task again.
Online claim with journal: A task should appear in your ‘to do’ list to enable you to report the change easily.
Remember to report the rent change via this ‘to do’ on the date that the rent increases (or as soon as possible after).
Telephone/offline claim: You will need to report your rent change by phone.
If you are receiving housing benefit
- You will need to supply the housing benefit department with a copy of your rent increase letter. Depending on the local authority, you will be able to do this via the local authority website or by handing it in at the council offices.
- You can report this change in advance as soon as you receive your rent increase letter.
