Rotherham Council approves 4.8% rent rise for social housing tenants
It will see the average weekly council rent rise by £6.17, from £94.90 to £101.07.
Council housing rents in Rotherham are set to rise from April 2026 after proposals were approved at a cabinet meeting.
At a meeting on 15 December, councillors backed plans to increase social rents by 4.8% in line with government rent policy and subject to final confirmation on rent convergence early next year
The approved option will see the average weekly council rent rise by £6.17, from £94.90 to £101.07.
Council officers said the increase would remain within the maximum permitted under national rules and would generate around £5.63m in additional income in 2026/27, helping to fund investment in existing homes and the delivery of new council housing.
Councillor Linda Beresford, cabinet member for housing, told the meeting there are ‘challenges ahead’ for the housing revenue account, which funds all council housing repairs and maintenance.
“We have Awaab’s Law coming in. We are looking at improving the thermal efficiency of homes with the minimum energy efficiency standards. And of course, we’ve got decent homes too on the horizon, and we don’t actually know what that’s going to contain.
“Rent that is charged by Rotherham Council is significantly lower than rents in the private sector.”
Three rent options were considered by cabinet, ranging from a basic CPI plus 1% increase to higher rises linked to rent convergence. The approved option includes an additional increase of up to £2 a week for properties currently below the government’s formula rent, bringing them closer to nationally set levels over time.
Officers said the extra income was critical to supporting the council’s 30-year Housing Revenue Account business plan, which includes more than £1.3bn of investment in council housing stock, improvements to energy efficiency and the delivery of new homes.
The council says most tenants will not see a direct impact, with around 15,000 households having their rent covered through Housing Benefit or Universal Credit. Around 4,500 tenants who pay rent from their own income are expected to be affected by the increase.
The authority said support would continue to be available for tenants facing financial pressure, including help with benefits, budgeting and debt advice.
Final approval of the Housing Revenue Account business plan and rent setting proposals will go to full council in January, with new rent and service charge letters due to be issued in March ahead of the changes taking effect on April 6 2026.