SI 2026/1079 - The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2026

Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.

STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS 2026 No. 1079 SOCIAL SECURITY The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2026 Made - - - - at 9.30 a.m. on 13th October 2026 Laid before Parliament at 4.30 p.m. on 13th October 2026 Coming into force - - 5th November 2026 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) and (4), 140F(2) and 189(1), (4), (6) and (7) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992(1).

In accordance with section 189(8) of that Act(2), the Secretary of State has obtained the consent of the Treasury.

In accordance with section 176(1)(b) of that Act(3), the Secretary of State has consulted with organisations appearing to the Secretary of State to be representative of the authorities concerned.

Citation, commencement and extent

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2026 and comes into force on 5th November 2026.

(2) This Order extends to England and Wales and Scotland.

(1) 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 Sections 140B, 140C and 140F were repealed by Part 1 of Schedule 14 to the Welfare Reform Act 2012 (c. 5) so far as they relate to the abolition of council tax benefit.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.

(2) 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).

(3) Section 176(1)(b) was amended by paragraph 3(4) of Schedule 13 to the Housing Act 1996.Document Generated: 2026-10-13

Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.

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

2.—(1) The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Order 1998(4) is amended in accordance with articles 3 to 7.

(2) Articles 3, 5 and 6 and the Schedule apply for the purpose of determining subsidy payable for the relevant year(5) beginning on 1st April 2025.

(3) Article 4 applies for the purpose of determining subsidy payable for any relevant year beginning on or after 1st April 2025.

(4) Article 7 applies for the purpose of determining subsidy payable for the relevant year beginning on 1st April 2026.

Housing Benefit Assurance Process 3 In article 2 (interpretation of Parts 2 and 4), in the definition of “HBAP”, for “28th April 2025” substitute “2nd April 2026”(6).

Additional amount of subsidy: Verify Earnings and Pension Alerts Service

4.—(1) In article 12(1) (amount of subsidy)(7), omit sub-paragraph (bza) and the “and” immediately after it.

(2) Omit Schedule 1ZB (additional amount of subsidy: Verify Earnings and Pension Alerts Service)(8).

The amount of an authority’s subsidy 5 For Schedule 1 (sums to be used in the calculation of subsidy) substitute the Schedule 1 set out in the Schedule to this Order.

Additional amount of subsidy: Housing Benefit Award Accuracy Initiative 6 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 A5/2024” to the end of that definition substitute “Housing Benefit Circular HB A7/2025 first published by the Department for Work and Pensions on 24th April 2025”(9);

(b) in paragraph 2 (additional amount: relevant year beginning with 1st April 2024)—

(i)in the heading, for “1st April 2024”, substitute “1st April 2025”;

(ii)for “1st April 2024”, substitute “1st April 2025”;

(4) S.I. 1998/562; relevant amending instruments are S.I. 2004/646, 2015/1784, 2018/985, 2021/1031, 2023/1040, 2024/1092 and 2025/1077.

(5) See article 1(2) of S.I. 1998/562 for the meaning of “relevant year”. See section 140G of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 for the definition of “year”.

(6) See, in relation to the financial year ending March 2026, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/housing-benefit- assurance-process-hbap. The relevant HBAP publication is contained in HBAP Module 1 and Module 6.

(7) Article 12(1) was substituted by S.I. 2015/1784 and sub-paragraph (bza) was inserted by S.I. 2018/985.

(8) Schedule 1ZB was inserted by S.I. 2018/985 and substituted by S.I. 2023/1040.

(9) See https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/housing-benefit-adjudication-circulars-2025/a72025-housing-benefit- award-accuracy-initiative-for-the-financial-year-ending-march-2026.

2Document Generated: 2026-10-13

Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.

(iii)for “Housing Benefit Circular” to the end substitute “Housing Benefit Circular HB S4/2025 first published by the Department for Work and Pensions on 24th April 2025”(10).

Rent rebate deductions from the subsidy of an authority in Wales 7 In Schedule 4A (rent rebate limitation deductions (Housing Revenue Account dwellings): authorities in Wales)—

(a) in paragraph 3(2), for “1st April 2025 is 0.369” substitute “1st April 2026 is 0.332”;

(b) for paragraph 4, but not including the heading, substitute— “4. The amounts for the relevant year beginning on 1st April 2026 for the purposes of paragraph 2 are as follows— Local authority (1) Specified (2) Guideline rent amount “O” (£) increase “P” (£) Caerphilly County Borough Council 124.93 4.74 Cardiff City Council 140.72 5.59 Carmarthenshire County Council 123.91 4.71 Denbighshire County Council 124.81 4.83 Flintshire County Council 132.16 5.29 Isle of Anglesey County Council 127.25 6.37 Pembrokeshire County Council 127.86 4.86 Powys County Council 128.34 5.19 Swansea City Council 125.25 4.92 Vale of Glamorgan Council 140.60 5.63 Wrexham County Borough Council 128.81 4.90”.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Stephen Timms Minister of State at 9.30 a.m. on 13th October 2026 Department for Work and Pensions

(10) See https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/housing-benefit-subsidy-circulars-2025/s42025-housing-benefit-award- accuracy-initiative-funding-for-the-financial-year-ending-march-2026-for-local-authorities-participating-from-1-april-2.

3Document Generated: 2026-10-13

Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.

We consent Claire Hughes Christian Wakeford Two of the Lords Commissioners of His 12th October 2026 Majesty’s Treasury 4Document Generated: 2026-10-13

Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.

Schedule Article 5 Substitution of Schedule 1 to the Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Order 1998 “Schedule 1 Article 12(1)(b) Sums to be used in the calculation of subsidy Relevant Year 2025-2026 Local authority Administration subsidy (£) England Adur District Council 139,434 Amber Valley Borough Council 283,355 Arun District Council 358,393 Ashfield District Council 323,223 Ashford Borough Council 296,950 Babergh District Council 159,774 London Borough of Barking and Dagenham 733,662 London Borough of Barnet 1,277,392 Barnsley Borough Council 739,570 Basildon District Council 515,869 Basingstoke and Deane District Council 332,245 Bassetlaw District Council 278,022 Bath and North East Somerset Council 376,094 Bedford Borough Council 440,439 London Borough of Bexley 514,523 Birmingham City Council 5,464,583 Blaby District Council 126,462 Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council 439,970 Blackpool Borough Council 633,791 Bolsover District Council 216,713 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council 874,853 Boston Borough Council 167,912 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council 1,070,106 Bracknell Forest Borough Council 227,320 Bradford Metropolitan Borough Council 1,407,851 Braintree District Council 309,069 5Document Generated: 2026-10-13

Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.

Breckland District Council 288,195 London Borough of Brent 1,435,546 Brentwood District Council 113,020 Brighton and Hove Council 1,024,719 Bristol City Council 1,466,542 Broadland District Council 182,300 London Borough of Bromley 771,589 Bromsgrove District Council 146,878 Broxbourne Borough Council 221,571 Broxtowe Council 213,241 Buckinghamshire Council 880,603 Burnley Borough Council 311,854 Bury Metropolitan Borough Council 476,563 Calderdale Borough Council 563,314 Cambridge City Council 300,979 London Borough of Camden 1,356,555 Cannock Chase District Council 229,353 Canterbury City Council 347,784 Castle Point District Council 155,691 Central Bedfordshire Council 496,719 Charnwood Borough Council 291,905 Chelmsford Borough Council 336,157 Cheltenham Borough Council 247,827 Cherwell District Council 266,687 Cheshire East Council 693,117 Cheshire West and Chester Council 798,614 Chesterfield Borough Council 347,094 Chichester District Council 258,255 Chorley Borough Council 234,140 City of London 52,793 Colchester Borough Council 391,763 Cornwall Council 1,523,069 Cotswold District Council 155,543 Coventry City Council 1,004,613 6Document Generated: 2026-10-13

Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.

Crawley Borough Council 332,482 London Borough of Croydon 1,303,004 Cumberland Council 690,816 Dacorum Borough Council 376,150 Darlington Borough Council 324,262 Dartford Borough Council 207,630 Derby City Council 739,651 Derbyshire Dales District Council 118,114 Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council 908,160 Dorset Council 819,746 Dover District Council 314,211 Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council 780,474 Durham County Council 1,789,547 London Borough of Ealing 1,373,909 East Cambridgeshire District Council 154,359 East Devon District Council 272,836 East Hampshire District Council 176,657 East Hertfordshire District Council 241,187 East Lindsey District Council 411,653 East Riding of Yorkshire Council 641,528 East Staffordshire Borough Council 217,048 East Suffolk Council 592,563 Eastbourne Borough Council 364,999 Eastleigh Borough Council 225,406 Elmbridge Borough Council 253,013 London Borough of Enfield 1,359,078 Epping Forest District Council 266,048 Epsom and Ewell Borough Council 135,077 Erewash Borough Council 272,177 Exeter City Council 335,667 Fareham Borough Council 155,047 Fenland District Council 254,956 Folkestone and Hythe District Council 312,844 Forest of Dean District Council 184,101 7Document Generated: 2026-10-13

Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.

Fylde Borough Council 178,521 Gateshead Borough Council 750,920 Gedling Borough Council 225,517 Gloucester City Council 328,509 Gosport Borough Council 210,351 Gravesham Borough Council 240,715 Great Yarmouth Council 340,583 Royal Borough of Greenwich 1,336,566 Guildford Borough Council 233,519 London Borough of Hackney 2,039,340 Halton Borough Council 453,062 London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham 1,006,544 Harborough District Council 112,635 London Borough of Haringey 1,314,656 Harlow District Council 280,668 Harrow Council 653,974 Hart District Council 103,199 Hartlepool Borough Council 396,281 Hastings Borough Council 400,824 Havant Borough Council 224,163 London Borough of Havering 541,264 Herefordshire Council 397,950 Hertsmere Borough Council 243,786 High Peak Borough Council 197,749 London Borough of Hillingdon 823,944 Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council 173,293 Horsham District Council 228,322 London Borough of Hounslow 856,541 Huntingdonshire District Council 294,820 Hyndburn Borough Council 268,832 Ipswich Borough Council 411,377 Isle of Wight Council 421,144 Council of the Isles of Scilly 1,633 London Borough of Islington 1,524,275 8Document Generated: 2026-10-13

Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea 980,467 Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council 334,941 Hull City Council 1,154,817 Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames 397,831 Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council 1,058,351 Knowsley Borough Council 646,809 London Borough of Lambeth 1,856,729 Lancaster City Council 350,747 Leeds City Council 2,224,871 Leicester City Council 1,003,941 Lewes District Council 237,591 London Borough of Lewisham 1,540,725 Lichfield District Council 172,380 City of Lincoln Council 307,359 Liverpool City Council 2,379,484 Luton Borough Council 573,814 Maidstone Borough Council 326,241 Maldon District Council 112,736 Malvern Hills District Council 151,742 Manchester City Council 2,296,060 Mansfield District Council 325,803 Medway Council 641,746 Melton Borough Council 82,727 London Borough of Merton 505,429 Mid Devon District Council 156,443 Mid Suffolk District Council 151,267 Mid Sussex District Council 223,390 Middlesbrough Council 564,697 Milton Keynes Borough Council 733,622 Mole Valley District Council 162,247 New Forest District Council 325,842 Newark and Sherwood District Council 264,506 Newcastle-Under-Lyme Borough Council 280,692 Newcastle City Council 1,113,692 9Document Generated: 2026-10-13

Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.

London Borough of Newham 1,565,849 North Devon District Council 237,599 North East Derbyshire District Council 251,186 North East Lincolnshire Council 491,307 North Hertfordshire District Council 253,407 North Kesteven District Council 187,690 North Lincolnshire Council 394,836 North Norfolk District Council 245,468 North Northamptonshire Council 724,215 North Somerset Council 497,591 North Tyneside Borough Council 662,822 North Warwickshire District Council 126,715 North West Leicestershire District Council 172,236 North Yorkshire Council 1,204,650 Northumberland County Council 835,450 Norwich City Council 569,271 Nottingham City Council 1,248,736 Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council 319,487 Oadby and Wigston Borough Council 79,454 Oldham Borough Council 689,591 Oxford City Council 388,814 Pendle Borough Council 220,470 Peterborough City Council 577,194 Plymouth City Council 854,004 Portsmouth City Council 804,480 Preston Borough Council 410,910 Reading Borough Council 474,154 London Borough of Redbridge 810,401 Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council 478,990 Redditch Borough Council 207,786 Reigate and Banstead Borough Council 264,799 Ribble Valley Borough Council 73,717 London Borough of Richmond upon Thames 424,410 Rochdale Borough Council 752,275 10Document Generated: 2026-10-13

Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.

Rochford District Council 121,760 Rossendale Borough Council 170,714 Rother District Council 221,356 Rotherham Borough Council 813,583 Rugby Borough Council 190,783 Runnymede Borough Council 147,612 Rushcliffe Borough Council 156,471 Rushmoor Borough Council 259,781 Rutland County Council 55,594 Salford City Council 1,064,777 Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council 1,034,505 Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council 888,107 Sevenoaks District Council 217,483 Sheffield City Council 1,768,265 Shropshire Council 655,570 Slough Borough Council 406,585 Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council 447,845 Somerset Council 1,251,926 South Cambridgeshire District Council 228,589 South Derbyshire District Council 156,301 South Gloucestershire Council 440,852 South Hams District Council 184,657 South Holland District Council 161,462 South Kesteven District Council 270,917 South Norfolk District Council 224,938 South Oxfordshire District Council 206,764 South Ribble Borough Council 181,882 South Staffordshire District Council 205,748 South Tyneside Council 666,320 Southampton City Council 827,021 Southend-on-Sea Borough Council 567,642 London Borough of Southwark 1,748,278 Spelthorne Borough Council 199,254 St Albans District Council 233,066 11Document Generated: 2026-10-13

Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.

St Helens Borough Council 592,243 Stafford Borough Council 228,786 Staffordshire Moorlands District Council 142,378 Stevenage Borough Council 248,806 Stockport Borough Council 643,678 Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council 553,127 Stoke-on-Trent City Council 842,675 Stratford-on-Avon District Council 233,823 Stroud District Council 216,697 Sunderland City Council 1,122,884 Surrey Heath Borough Council 120,480 London Borough of Sutton 535,925 Swale Borough Council 371,169 Swindon Borough Council 526,080 Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council 762,755 Tamworth Borough Council 178,181 Tandridge District Council 155,734 Teignbridge District Council 288,551 Telford and Wrekin Council 560,008 Tendring District Council 438,175 Test Valley Borough Council 218,258 Tewkesbury Borough Council 151,332 Thanet District Council 477,464 Three Rivers Council 169,602 Thurrock Borough Council 399,104 Tonbridge and Malling District Council 242,341 Torbay Council 465,590 Torridge District Council 155,259 London Borough of Tower Hamlets 1,797,888 Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council 516,999 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council 226,201 Uttlesford District Council 134,899 Vale of White Horse District Council 205,797 Wakefield Council 1,073,923 12Document Generated: 2026-10-13

Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.

Walsall Borough Council 847,538 London Borough of Waltham Forest 865,136 London Borough of Wandsworth 1,335,428 Warrington Borough Council 475,902 Warwick District Council 252,529 Watford Borough Council 246,194 Waverley Borough Council 211,995 Wealden District Council 236,555 Welwyn Hatfield District Council 318,085 West Berkshire Council 293,291 West Devon Borough Council 109,584 West Lancashire District Council 255,991 West Lindsey District Council 213,381 West Northamptonshire Council 771,832 West Oxfordshire District Council 175,454 West Suffolk Council 347,897 City of Westminster 1,469,906 Westmorland and Furness Council 429,924 Wigan Council 899,833 Wiltshire Council 895,439 Winchester City Council 219,457 Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead 240,919 Wirral Borough Council 1,127,673 Woking Borough Council 188,604 Wokingham District Council 172,685 Wolverhampton City Council 869,413 Worcester City Council 235,202 Worthing Borough Council 280,166 Wychavon District Council 240,197 Wyre Borough Council 267,936 Wyre Forest District Council 264,837 City of York Council 337,687 Wales Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council 293,453 13Document Generated: 2026-10-13

Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.

Bridgend County Borough Council 426,168 Caerphilly County Borough Council 612,364 Cardiff City Council 1,157,889 Carmarthenshire County Council 496,728 Ceredigion Council 178,207 Conwy County Borough Council 362,180 Denbighshire County Council 323,561 Flintshire County Council 373,013 Gwynedd Council 309,171 Isle of Anglesey County Council 191,397 Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council 204,273 Monmouthshire County Council 208,940 Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council 535,376 Newport City Council 513,706 Pembrokeshire County Council 336,385 Powys County Council 320,705 Rhondda-Cynon-Taff County Borough Council 715,878 Swansea City Council 821,663 Torfaen Borough Council 346,626 Vale of Glamorgan Council 332,216 Wrexham County Borough Council 412,542 Scotland Aberdeen City Council 620,775 Aberdeenshire Council 434,133 Angus Council 326,104 Argyll and Bute Council 266,833 Clackmannanshire Council 203,397 Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar Council 56,070 Dumfries and Galloway Council 515,372 Dundee City Council 721,529 East Ayrshire Council 455,660 East Dunbartonshire Council 187,768 East Lothian District Council 293,800 East Renfrewshire Council 172,265 14Document Generated: 2026-10-13

Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.

City of Edinburgh Council 1,606,295 Falkirk District Council 526,777 Fife Council 1,216,282 Glasgow City Council 3,675,389 Highland Council 619,983 Inverclyde District Council 356,526 Midlothian Council 265,602 Moray Council 219,556 North Ayrshire Council 612,403 North Lanarkshire Council 1,323,439 Orkney Islands Council 45,474 Perth and Kinross Council 342,895 Renfrewshire Council 653,164 Scottish Borders Council 344,060 Shetland Islands Council 42,131 South Ayrshire Council 393,838 South Lanarkshire Council 1,074,391 Stirling Council 242,468 West Dunbartonshire Council 462,658 West Lothian Council 636,000”.

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 2nd April 2026.

Article 4 omits article 12(1)(bza) and Schedule 1ZB from the 1998 Order which provide 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 Verify Earnings and Pension Alerts 15Document Generated: 2026-10-13

Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format. service (VEP)). Schedule 1ZB specifies the additional amounts to be paid to local authorities to support the administration of VEP. Article 12(1)(bza) requires these additional amounts to be taken into account when calculating subsidy. VEP funding became part of the housing benefit administration funding from 1st April 2025 and these provisions are no longer required to determine additional amounts of subsidy payable in respect of VEP administration.

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 2025.

Article 6 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 24th April 2025. 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 2025. The amounts were notified by the Secretary of State to local authorities on 24th April 2025.

Article 7 amends Schedule 4A to the 1998 Order, both to update the rebate proportion figure for 2026/2027 to 0.332 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 2026 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 lawelfare.lafunding@dwp.gov.uk.

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.

16