Rent a Room scheme – how it works and tax rules

The Rent a Room scheme is open to owner occupiers or tenants who let out furnished accommodation to a lodger in their main home.

It allows you to earn up to £7,500 a year tax-free, or £3,750 if you’re letting jointly.

You don’t have to be a homeowner to take advantage of the scheme. If you’re renting you can also let out a room to a lodger, as long as your own lease allows you to do so.

If the amount you earn from renting out the room is less than the thresholds of the Rent a Room scheme, then your tax exemption is automatic and you don’t need to do anything.

If you earn more than the threshold, you must complete a tax return (even if you don’t normally). You can then do one of the following:

• Choose to opt into the scheme – in which case you need to let HM Revenue & Customs know this on your tax return and claim your tax-free allowance.
• Not opt into it – in which case you simply record your income and any associated expenses on the property pages of your tax return.

To request a tax return if you don’t normally receive one, contact HM Revenue & Customs using the link below.

There’s no special form for telling HM Revenue & Customs you don’t want to be part of the scheme. If you earn more than the threshold or already complete a tax return you simply declare the relevant lettings income and expenses when completing your tax return.

The Rent a Room scheme can be a great way to supplement your income and provide accommodation for lodgers. But the income you get might affect some means-tested benefits.

If you’re on Universal Credit, any money you get from sub-tenants and lodgers under the rent-a-room scheme will not be counted as income up to the tax-free allowance of £7,500. This means it’s a great way to supplement your income.

If you were living on your own and qualified for the 25% single person Council Tax Reduction and decide to rent out a room, you’ll no longer qualify for the discount.

If you are a working age social housing tenant how Rent a Room affects your Housing Benefit depends on how the person renting the room is classified.

Boarders: If, along with the room, you’re providing prepared food, the renter is classified as a boarder. The first £20 of rental income a week is disregarded along with half of the remaining amount of rent you get.

For example, if the rent is £50 a week, £20 is disregarded automatically, plus £15 of the remaining £30 rent payment.

This means you will have £15 a week income, which might affect the amount you receive in Housing Benefit.

Sub-tenants: If you’re only providing a room and no meals, the lodger is called a sub-tenant. The first £20 of rental income a week is still disregarded, but the remaining amount is all seen as income.

In this case, if the rent is £50 a week, £20 is disregarded, but the remaining £30 is classed as income and could affect the amount you receive in Housing Benefit.

If you are claiming Housing Benefit and rent out your only spare room you won’t be affected by the bedroom tax. If you have further spare rooms, you would be subject to it

If you’re getting other means-tested benefits such as Income Support or Pension Credit, any income you get from renting out your room could affect these benefits

You might wish to charge for additional services when you take in a lodger, such as providing meals or laundry services.

The money you receive for these services must be added to the rent you receive to work out your total income. If your total income is more than £7,500 for the tax year (6 April to 5 April), and your overall income is greater than the individual Personal Allowance, you will need to pay some tax.

If you run a guest house, bed and breakfast or provide services such as catering and cleaning as part of a letting business, you can still take part in the Rent a Room scheme.

The biggest advantage of the scheme is you can earn £7,500 a year tax-free.

But this advantage might be outweighed for some people by the fact you cannot claim any expenses related to the letting.

So if you have to spend money repairing wear and tear in the property or replacing a broken boiler, you won’t be able to deduct any expense against income if you let out your property under the Rent a Room scheme.

You’ll need to work out for yourself whether you will be better off in or out of the Rent a Room scheme.

Frank lets out the spare room in the home he owns for a rent of £200 a week, giving him an annual income of £10,400 – which is more than the Rent a Room allowance.

If he stays in the Rent a Room scheme, he will be taxed at his top rate of tax on the income above £7,500. So, if he is a basic rate taxpayer, he’ll pay 20% tax on £2,900 (£10,400-£7,500). This would result in a tax bill of £580.

But he could opt out of the scheme and treat his income as a normal rental income. This means he can deduct expenses and only his final profit is taxed.

Over the year Frank’s expenses come to £2,000. Once deducted from his total rent, it leaves him with a profit of £8,400. But his tax bill will have nearly doubled to £1,680 (20% of £8,400).

In this example Frank is better off in the Rent a Room scheme. But if his expenses were higher – say, £4,500 – he would be better off opting out of the scheme.

It’s important to keep records of your income and expenses. Even though you cannot claim expenses with the Rent a Room scheme, you might need those records should you opt out later on.

There are several checks you need to perform before taking in a lodger.

If you are the owner of the property and have a mortgage, you’ll need to check with your mortgage lender to make sure you’re allowed to rent out a room under the terms of your mortgage contract.

You’ll also need to check with your home insurer it is allowed under their terms.

If you’re renting, you need to ensure your lease allows you to take on a lodger.

Speak to your lender, insurer or landlord to ensure you can take part in the scheme

The Rent a Room scheme is just one way you can bring some money in.