53 Week Rent Year
The 53-week rent year – what it means for Council tenants and your rent
This year is known as a 53-week rent year, which means your rent will be charged 53 times instead of 52. This is because in 2024/25 there are 53 Mondays in the year.
Why does this happen?
Although Council tenants normally pay rent for 52 weeks a year, there are slightly more than 52 weeks in a year. This means that every five or six years those extra days accumulate to add an extra week to the year.
What does it mean for me?
Whether you pay your rent weekly, fortnightly or four weekly there will be an extra week of rent to pay. If you pay monthly, you need to ensure the extra week is covered in your monthly rent payment.
What do I need to do if I pay by Direct Debit?
Council tenants who pay by Direct debit don’t need to do anything. The Council will amend this calculation for you and automatically adjust your payments.
What do I need to do if I claim Universal Credit?
Unfortunately, The Department for Work and Pensions have confirmed that they will not be changing the way they calculate your rent. This means that they won’t pay for the 53rd week and you will need to pay for the additional week yourself by increasing your payments using the calculation: Weekly rent amount x 53 weeks divided by 12 = monthly rent payment.
Example - £95 x 53 = £5,035 ÷ 12 = £419.88 per month
What if I claim Housing Benefit?
If you claim Housing Benefit (HB) you will not need to do anything as HB will cover the extra week that is charged. However, if you do not receive full HB, you will need to ensure that the shortfall is paid for the 53rd week.
What if I pay my rent monthly?
If you pay monthly, you will need to ensure that the extra week is covered in your monthly rent payment. To calculate how much rent you should be paying each month, multiply your weekly rent amount by 53 and then divide it by 12.
Example - £95 x 53 =£5,035 ÷ 12 = £419.88 per month
What if I pay my rent every 4 weeks?
If you pay your rent every 4 weeks, you will need to ensure that the extra week is covered in your 4-weekly payment. To calculate how much rent you should be paying, multiply your weekly rent amount by 53 and then divide it by 13.
Example - £95 x 53 = £5,035 ÷ 13 = £387.31 every 4 weeks.
What if I have existing rent arrears?
If you have an agreement to pay existing arrears, you need to add the amount you are reducing your arrears by to your newly calculated amount that covers your rent.
What to do if I am struggling?
If you are a Council tenant struggling to pay your rent you can contact the Rents Team on 0121 737 5148, Monday to Thursday 9am – 5.30pm and 9am to 5pm on a Friday for advice and support.