Rules and ethics
Cardiff and Liverpool housing and benefit rules for money creators: tenancy law, council tax and Universal Credit
Cardiff and Liverpool housing and benefit rules for finance influencers: Welsh occupation contracts, English tenancies, council tax bands and Universal Credit.
What to take away
- For finance influencers, the key point is that Cardiff is in Wales and Liverpool in England. Tenancy law, council tax bands and the paperwork a landlord needs differ by nation.
- Welsh tenancies are occupation contracts under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, in force since 1 December 2022. English assured periodic tenancies replaced assured shorthold tenancies on 1 May 2026.
- Wales has nine council tax bands, A to I, valued at 1 April 2003. England has eight, A to H, valued at 1 April 1991.
- Universal Credit and Housing Benefit rates are national. Label every figure with the nation, the scheme and the date you checked it.
Where Welsh and English tenancy law split
The Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 commenced fully on 1 December 2022. The Welsh Government's frequently asked questions for landlords explain that occupation contracts have replaced existing tenancies and licences, and that there are two main types: standard and secure.
An occupation contract can be started verbally, but it needs to be followed up with a written statement. Written statements need to be given within 14 days of the occupation date for new contracts that started on or after 1 December 2022.
England has changed too. The Renters' Rights Act overview says most existing assured shorthold tenancies automatically became assured periodic tenancies on 1 May 2026.
From that date a tenant can no longer be evicted using the no-fault section 21 process. A landlord can increase the rent only once a year, using Form 4A and at least 2 months' notice. A creator who still describes Liverpool renters as holding assured shorthold tenancies is out of date.
| Point | Cardiff (Wales) | Liverpool (England) |
|---|---|---|
| Main law | Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 | Renters' Rights Act, which moved most tenancies to assured periodic tenancies on 1 May 2026 |
| Tenancy name | Occupation contract, standard or secure | Assured periodic tenancy |
| Start date of current model | 1 December 2022 | 1 May 2026 |
| Written paperwork | Written statement within 14 days for new contracts | Form 4A and 2 months' notice for a rent increase |
Registration, deposits and right to rent
Landlord registration is a Welsh feature, handled through Rent Smart Wales. Standard occupation contracts include fields for the landlord registration number or the licensee's reference number.
Registration numbers always begin with #RN. Landlords find theirs in their Rent Smart Wales account and on the registration or licence document sent by email.
For a Liverpool let, a landlord must put the deposit in a government-approved scheme if the home is let on an assured periodic tenancy.
The deposit can be registered with the Deposit Protection Service, MyDeposits or the Tenancy Deposit Scheme. The landlord or letting agent must put it in the scheme within 30 days of getting it, and must return it within 10 days of both sides agreeing how much goes back.
English landlords must also check that a tenant or lodger can legally rent the property in England. The right to rent rule is framed for England, so do not repeat it as a Welsh rule.
Before you publish a post that compares renters' rights, label each point by nation. The guide to finance audiences shows how to define a reader by money task, not postcode alone.
Council tax: nine Welsh bands against eight English bands
Council tax bands are based on the price a property would have sold for on 1 April 1991 in England and 1 April 2003 in Wales. The two band structures differ in number and in value ranges:
| Band | England (1 April 1991 values) | Wales (1 April 2003 values) |
|---|---|---|
| A | up to £40,000 | up to £44,000 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 | £44,001 to £65,000 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 | £65,001 to £91,000 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 | £91,001 to £123,000 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 | £123,001 to £162,000 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 | £162,001 to £223,000 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 | £223,001 to £324,000 |
| H | more than £320,000 | £324,001 to £424,000 |
| I | none | more than £424,000 |
The thresholds are valuations at different dates, so a band letter means different things in each nation. Do not treat Band D as the same house.
Council tax charges for 2026-27
For 2026-27, Liverpool charges Band A at £1,782.39, Band B at £2,079.46, Band C at £2,376.52 and Band D at £2,673.59. The 2025-26 Band D charge was £2,546.44.
In Wales, band D figures for billing authorities, including police and community councils, vary from £2,013 in Cardiff to £2,594 in Merthyr Tydfil for 2026-27. Average band D council tax in Wales is £2,283.
For England as a whole, the average Band D council tax set by local authorities for 2026-27 is £2,392, an increase of £111 or 4.9% on 2025-26. That figure includes all precepts including adult social care and parish precepts.
Take care with direct comparisons between the two cities. The Welsh figure for Cardiff includes police and community councils, and the English figures come from different tables. A creator who says one city is cheaper should name the table, the band and the year.
Universal Credit and Housing Benefit
Universal Credit is paid monthly. The standard allowance is £338.58 for a single person under 25 and £424.90 for a single person aged 25 or over.
For couples, it is £528.34 for both if both are under 25, and £666.97 for both if either is 25 or over. Rates change, so give a date next to each figure. These figures are as shown on GOV.UK in October 2026.
For private renters claiming Housing Benefit, the eligible rent is either the Local Housing Allowance rate or the actual rent, whichever is lower. Council and social housing tenants can face a reduction for spare bedrooms: 14% of the eligible rent for one spare bedroom and 25% for two or more.
Where an audience is behind on rent, the guide to partnering with debt advice influencers explains why pointing to a regulated adviser beats answering casework yourself.
A checklist for housing and benefit posts
- Say which nation each rule belongs to.
- Give the scheme name, the figure and the date you checked it.
- Link the official page for each figure and do not round it.
- Do not compare council tax between nations without naming the table and band.
- Keep promotional content apart from information, following the UK rules for finance creators.
- If a post promotes a financial product, send it to an approver first. See the FCA rules for finance influencers.
- Record the sources in a release file before publishing, as in the quality checklist, and add the disclosure policy label for any paid content.
Common questions
Are Cardiff renters on assured shorthold tenancies?
No. In Wales, occupation contracts replaced existing tenancies and licences from 1 December 2022.
Does a Liverpool landlord have to protect the deposit?
Where the home is let on an assured periodic tenancy, the deposit must go into a government-approved scheme within 30 days of the landlord or agent getting it.
How many council tax bands are there?
Wales has nine, A to I. England has eight, A to H.
