The government told the Rajya Sabha that if both spouses are Central Government employees working in the same city and one receives a government quarter, the other spouse will not be eligible for HRA.
Published: August 8, 2026, 6:47 PM IST
Share Article
https://www.india.com/news/india/can-both-husband-and-wife-working-for-government-claim-house-rent-allowance-8496537/
According to the Finance Ministry, HRA is intended for Central Government employees who do not have government accommodation and are staying in rented housesRepresentational image
When both husband and wife work for the Central Government in the same city, questions often arise about HRA eligibility if one spouse is allotted a government quarterCan the other spouse still receive House Rent Allowance? The Central Government has now clarified the rules in the Rajya Sabha.
The Finance Ministry has clarified that when one spouse is provided government accommodation in the same city, the family is treated as having government housingIn such cases, the other spouse cannot claim HRA, since no separate rent is being paid.
One gets government quarter and the other…
The Finance Ministry told the Rajya Sabha that House Rent Allowance (HRA) is intended for Central Government employees who do not have government accommodation and are staying in rented houses.
If a husband and wife are both Central Government employees posted at the same place and one spouse gets government accommodation, the government considers the family to be covered by that accommodationHence, no separate HRA is payable to the other spouse.
Why will the employee not be paid HRA?
According to the Finance Ministry, HRA is paid only when an employee does not have government accommodation and has to rent a private houseWhen one spouse gets a government quarter and the family lives in it, the other spouse cannot claim HRA separately because there is no additional rent being paid.
The ministry said that when both spouses are government employees at the same posting and one has been provided government accommodation, the family is considered covered by that housingAs a result, the other spouse will not be entitled to HRA.
Is the government likely to change the HRA rule?
The policy has prompted questions over whether both spouses should be allowed separate allowances when they are both government employeesEmployee organisations have also flagged the issueDespite this, the Finance Ministry told the Rajya Sabha that it has received no representation from employees or their service bodies seeking a change in the existing rules.
The government has no plans to revise the HRA rules for couples in which both husband and wife are government employeesIn response to a question on the matter, it said there is currently no proposal to review or amend the existing provision.
What if both are government employees and both live on rent?
When both spouses work for the Central Government and neither has government accommodation, they can be eligible for HRA if they are staying in rented accommodation, provided they meet the required conditions.
For couples posted in different cities, HRA will be decided according to the applicable government regulations, taking into account the individual circumstances of both employees.
How much HRA should a govt servant get according to city category?
While the HRA rules for government-employed couples remain unchanged, the rates have been revised following changes in city classificationsThe government updated the city categories based on recent population figures, which led to some cities moving into different categoriesAs a result, HRA payments for Central Government employees in those cities have also changed.
Currently, the HRA rates are as follows:
- In X category cities: HRA 30 per cent of basic pay.
- In Y category cities: HRA 20 per cent of basic pay.
- In Z category cities: HRA 10 per cent of basic pay.
Central Government employees in cities that have been upgraded to a higher category will benefit from increased HRAMeanwhile, employees in cities that have been downgraded will receive the allowance based on the new, lower category.
