Foster carers and people who work in the armed forces

Families who live in private or social housing and have adult children* in the Armed Forces but continue to live with parents will be treated as living at home even when they are deployed on operations.

A member of the Armed Services means a member of the Naval Service, British Army or Royal Air Force of the Crown or members of the Reserve Forces.

On 'operations' does not necessarily mean away from the United Kingdom, just away from the home they normally occupy. It will also cover pre-deployment training and post operation leave (which is described as 'normalisation'). For example, Royal Air Force personnel with immediate response duties who are based away from home for four months or where members of the armed forces were deployed to assist with the Olympics.

This means that the under occupancy rules will not be applied to the room normally occupied by the member of the Armed Forces if they intend to return home and they live with their parents in social housing.

For those in the private sector, they will be able to have an additional room under the local housing allowance scheme for the son or daughter who is on deployment when claiming for housing benefit. 

In addition to this housing benefit customers will not have a non-dependant deduction taken from their benefit, until an adult child returns home. The adult child must have been a non-dependant before they were deployed on operations and there must be an intention to return to live with their parents.

If this will affect you, we will need to be satisfied that your son or daughter has been deployed on operations so you will need to provide evidence of this. We can accept the following:

• A written statement from the adult child to say they intend to return home and will continue to live with their parents (if your son or daughter is already deployed or unable to make a statement, a written statement to confirm they intend to return to live with you is acceptable)
• A letter from your son or daughter's chain of command in the armed forces to confirm the deployment, (the Department for Works and Pensions have stated this will be possible even if your son or daughter has already been deployed)
• Wherever possible a document showing that your son or daughter does actually live with you at your address, for example, driving licence, bank statement or mobile phone bill. (This may not always be possible especially if your son or daughter is already deployed, but this would be helpful if you are able to provide this)

*Adult children means son, daughter, step-son, step-daughter of the claimant or partner.

Last updated: ‎14/06/2023 11:28