If your council property is too big for you or you are struggling to pay the bills and maintain your property, you may wish to consider moving to a smaller property.

Having a home with more bedrooms than you need for your family is known as under occupying. You may lose some housing benefit or housing element of your Universal Credit if your current home is deemed to be too large. This can lead to financial hardship as you will have to pay the difference yourself. You may also find a larger home difficult to manage.

If you are in this situation, it may help you to downsize.

When to consider downsizing?

You might want to consider moving to a smaller home if:

• You're receiving housing benefits and are affected by the size criteria
• Your home has become too expensive to run and difficult to manage
• The number of people in the house has reduced, for example, children have grown up and left home
• You want to move to a different location to be nearer family or work

A daughter of a tenant from Langwith said: "My mum downsized from a three-bedroom house to a two-bedroom bungalow a few months ago. She doesn't get out much so it's important that her home is comfortable and manageable for her. She really loves it, especially the patio doors and the room sizes. The location is great and it's been a positive move for her."

If you are interested in moving to a smaller home, please contact us for further information at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or telephone 01246 242424.