What is the proposed increase in my rent? 
Council Officers are proposing that Council housing rents are increased by 2.7% from 7 April 2025.
As a guide, this would mean an increase each week in rents as follows:

Please note that for 2025/26 we go back to having a 52-week rent year, unlike 2024/25 which had 53 weeks. 

Why do you increase my rent? 
We increase your rent to continue to invest in improving council homes and services. The Council has low rents when compared with other housing providers, so its resources are relatively limited. Within our HRA Business Plan we have budgeted for the rent increase from April 2025, which means we can deliver our promises to improve our neighbourhoods and invest in our existing Council homes, as well as building new Council housing, while at the same time still providing low cost homes to our tenants. 

How does the Council decide what increase to make? 
The Council’s Cabinet will decide what increase we make to rents.  They have to take account of the Government’s rent setting guidance, which sets a cap on the maximum amount rents can be increased by. This cap has been set by the Government at the rate of inflation (the Consumer Prices Index or CPI) in September 2024, plus 1%.   As the CPI was 1.7% in September, this means a cap of 2.7%.    

Do you have to increase my rent?  
No, the Council’s Cabinet could decide not to increase your rent or to increase it below the cap the Government has set. The Cabinet will take account of any representations that we receive as part of this consultation in making its decision.   If we keep your rent as it is, or increase it at a level below 2.7%, we cannot deliver on the priorities we have, so we would have to make some tough choices to build fewer new homes, to invest less in existing Council homes, or do less in your neighbourhoods. The Cabinet will however decide, taking account of this and any feedback we receive from tenants. 

When will I know what increase has been agreed?  
This proposal is subject to the Council’s budget setting process and approval from the Council’s Cabinet, in February 2025. We will write to you around the beginning of March 2025 to confirm how much your weekly rent payment will be from 7 April 2025, based on the agreed percentage increase.

What will you spend the additional rental income on?
We have set out in our HRA Business Plan what we want to achieve over the next 3 years.  The additional money we can raise from rents means we are on track to deliver these objectives. We will keep you informed regularly on how we are performing against the HRA Business Plan and also with details about specific initiatives in our Tenants’ Newsletter. 

Will I see any benefits in my home and local community?  
Absolutely, the reason we are applying the rent increase is so that you will see benefits to your own home and also in your wider neighbourhood and estates over time, alongside improving services. What’s more, we commit to providing a full breakdown of how we spend your rent over the next 12 months. We will do this in our Annual Report to Tenants and Leaseholders, which we will publish on our website and also deliver to all tenants and leaseholders. 

What will happen to my rent in future years? 
The Government has the power to ask the Social Housing Regulator to set a standard on rent, which includes how much registered housing providers like the Council can increase rents by. For the past few years, the amount of rent increase has been decided on a yearly basis. 
The new Government has proposed changing this by setting the maximum increase to CPI plus 1% for the five years from 2026/27. It says it then proposes to do so again, for the five years thereafter. This, it says, is to provide certainty to housing providers and protections for existing and future tenants. The Government is currently consulting on this proposal. If you are interested in responding, please see the links in the consultation section below, or if you prefer, you can lobby your MP, if you have strong views about how Government guidance on social housing rents should be decided.  
The Council’s Cabinet will decide future rent increases within the framework of the decision the Government makes about whether to go ahead with these proposals or do something different. We will update these FAQs ahead of the rent increase due in April 2026, with the appropriate details.  

What do I do if I can’t afford the increase?   
Contact the Income Management Team on 01543 462 621 or email rents@cannockchasedc.gov.uk
Please let us know straightaway if you are struggling - we are here to help. Our priority is to support tenants to sustain their tenancies and we want to help prevent rent arrears or other debts. We have a dedicated Tenancy Sustainment Service, and the Income Management Team works alongside the local Citizens Advice team who are trained to ensure you have maximised your benefits, help you manage your finances and support you through changes to income or circumstances.  We can also link into other support services which offer advice, support and funding to help people in difficult circumstances.  Please take advantage of this service now to help you prepare well ahead of the rent increase.  

Will I lose my home?
Very few tenants lose their homes, and this only really happens where they don’t contact or engage with us so that we can help them. The last few years have been difficult for us all, especially in light of the cost of living crisis. Ensuring you feel secure in your home is our absolute priority, so we want to  reassure you that we understand things remain challenging and we are here to help. 
The Income Management Team are working hard to support Cannock Chase Council tenants and are there for those affected by the ongoing effects of the economic climate. However, your rent still needs to be paid; so, if you or your family’s ability to pay rent is affected at all by your financial circumstances, energy costs, changes to your income, work or benefits, please contact the Team urgently on 01543 462 621.  We will do all we can to help you find the best solution for you or your family. You might also want to take a look at our website for more advice on ‘Help with the Cost of Living Crisis’.

What help can I get if I am on a low income?  
Housing Benefit and the Universal Credit housing element (‘HB/UCHE’) helps people on low incomes to pay their rent. For social housing tenants, the maximum amount of HB/UCHE is based on actual rents, as opposed to the private rented sector where the maximum is set by the Local Housing Allowance. 
The maximum amount of HB/UCHE is then subject to deductions, for the Spare Room Subsidy (bedroom tax), number of adults living in the property (non-dependents) and the benefit cap (on the maximum welfare benefit allowed). 
Further support is available through Discretionary Housing Payments, which is administered by Housing Benefit Section. 
We can also provide additional help and advice to people who are still struggling with the cost of living and paying their bills. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you need support. 

I already claim Universal Credit. How do I make sure the rent increase is included in my claim? 
We appreciate that completing a Universal Credit (UC) claim can be very stressful and facing weeks of delays for any benefit payment is something we want to avoid. Please be assured you will not have to complete a brand-new claim with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Once we write to inform you about your new rent you will simply need to inform them of this, either:
- via your online UC account - you should receive an online UC notification shortly before 7 April.  It is important that this is completed on or as soon as possible after 7 April as otherwise your payments may be affected, and you could fall into rent arrears.  Completing the details should be recorded on your UC journal automatically. 
- or, if you do not have an online UC account, you must update the DWP coach or staff member you normally contact at your job centre plus on or as soon as possible after 7 April so that your payments are re-assessed, and you do not fall into rent arrears.  Ask for a receipt or confirmation that they have your new rent information for your records. 
If you do not notify the DWP you may fall into rent arrears, which you will need to pay.

We will then be asked to verify the increase on what is known as the Landlord portal. We will not be notified if you have not told the DWP, so it really is up to you to make sure they know. 

What if Universal Credit doesn’t cover the rent increase?  
If your Universal Credit allowance doesn’t cover the additional rent increase, we strongly recommend that you make an appointment to see a member of our Income Management Team or contact Citizens Advice who can help you check if DWP have included your new rent in your assessment or help you budget for the increased amount you need to pay.   
You can contact the Income Management Team on 01543 462621 or rents@cannockchasedc.gov.uk 

What if I am receiving Housing Benefit?
If you are currently receiving Housing Benefit, you will automatically be notified of your revised entitlement. You should check your revised entitlement notice once you receive it to make sure the whole rent increase is being paid or whether you are required to pay anything more towards the increased rent, especially if any non-benefit income (such as a salary or private pension) is part of your housing benefit assessment. 

How can I pay my rent?
If you need to pay all or part of your rent yourself, please remember to use your payment reference number (starting 400…..) on your rent statement, any letters we send you about your rent account, your rent card or online rent account. 

We continue to offer a wide variety of payment methods. These include: 
Direct Debit - automatic payments by your bank which we can adjust for you 
Standing Order - this is like direct debit, but you have to notify your bank of any changes
Online - at https://www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk/online/pay-online 
Automated Telephone Payment - call 01543 215 020 to pay by debit or credit card. 
Post Office or PayZone Outlets  - using your rent payment card 

What about if I pay monthly?
Your calendar monthly rent is your weekly rent x 52 weeks ÷ 12 months.
For example, £90 per week x 52 ÷ 12 = £390 per calendar month

If you pay monthly, you need to continue to pay your rent one month in advance. If you pay by: 
Direct Debit - we will automatically adjust payments for you. We will write to you to confirm the new amount of your direct debit*. If you owe any arrears, we will include payment of these within the new direct debit amount, taking account of any agreement we have with you. 
Standing Order - you will need to check your new monthly payment and advise your bank to adjust the payments accordingly from April - you can often do this on the bank’s website or through an app if you have an online bank account*.  Don’t forget to include the amount you pay each month off any arrears you owe.  If you are unsure or would struggle to maintain payments, please contact us (see above). 
Other payment types - you will need to check your new monthly payment and adjust the payments accordingly from April.  Don’t forget to include the amount you pay each month off any arrears you owe.  If you are unsure or would struggle to maintain payments, please contact us (see above). 

*Please be cautious when using online banking or sharing your bank account information. Ensure you only use legitimate websites or apps and watch out for scam emails or texts. We will only ever ask for your bank account details if you pay us directly through your bank and we never ask for PIN numbers or other banking information not directly connected with the payment you are making to us.

Is 2025/26 another ’53 Week Rent Year’?
No, 2024/25 is a 52 week year, like it is in most years (that is, there are 52 Mondays when your rent becomes due between and including 7 April 2025 and 30 March 2026).  In 2024/25 there were 53 weeks between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025.

As promised last year, this year’s increase is not until 7 April 2025, so there are only 52 rent weeks in the 2025/26 financial year, as there will be for the next few years. 

Can I have a Rent Statement? 
You can get a rent statement at any time - and as often as you want - by registering on the Council’s website at ‘Housing Online’. You can see the balance on each of your accounts, along with the current charge details. If you wish to see a full statement, click on the link against the account and it will show you all your transactions.  If you do not have a computer, tablet, smart phone, or electronic device you can contact the Income Management Team on 01543 462621 and they will send you a rent statement. 

The consultation closed at 5pm on Friday 17th January 2025. 

We will publish a summary of the results of the consultation here shortly and all feedback will be considered by the Council’s Cabinet when it makes its decision about the rent increase.

What about the Government consultation on future rent increases?
The Government is undertaking a consultation about rent increases in future years as set out above. You can read the consultation information and respond if you wish at:
Government Consultation - Future Social Housing Rent Policy

Please note: The Council cannot answer queries on this consultation as it is run by HM Government.

How do Cannock Chase Council rents compare?
Compared to the average weekly rents for all other Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) who have properties in the Cannock Chase area, our rents remain much lower.

Our average weekly rent for 2023-24 across all properties, irrespective of the number of bedrooms, was £83.56 for social rent and £97.97 for an affordable rent - in 2024/25 this increased by 7.7% to £89.99 and £105.51 respectively. 

The most recent benchmarking information we have on rents is shown in the below table of rent charges for 2023-24: 

Key: 
SR - Social Rent
AR - Affordable Rent

Sources:
Registered Provider Social Housing Stock and Rents in England 2023 to 2024 
Local Housing Allowance Rates for the Cannock Chase Local Authority 
Private Rent and House Prices - Office for National Statistics 
Local Authority Data Return (LADR) 2024

If you have any further questions, then please contact the Income Management Team on:  
Telephone: 01543 462621 
Email: rents@cannockchasedc.gov.uk