Yes — Torridge says you can claim Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit in some prison or detention situations, so being on Universal Credit does not rule it out automatically. The key point is that you need to meet the conditions for the housing element, and those rules depend on whether you’re on remand or have been sentenced.
| Situation | Housing Benefit / housing element of Universal Credit |
|---|---|
| On remand | You can claim for up to 52 weeks if you are likely to return home in a year or less |
| Sentenced | You can claim for up to 13 weeks if you are being released within 13 weeks |
| Nominated person in the home | Usually not entitled unless they were living there as part of your household before sentencing |
If you’re already getting Universal Credit, the housing part is the bit to look at rather than a separate benefit in most cases. Torridge also says you must tell them if your Universal Credit or other benefit changes, as that can affect Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support.