More Areas Now Subject to Universal Credit

Yesterday, landlords and letting agents became subject to conducting immigration checks on tenants under the Right to Rent scheme. But some will be experiencing even more changes to their lettings businesses, as Universal Credit continues its roll out across the UK.

For more information on checking prospective tenants’ immigration status, read our advice here: /right-to-rent-rolls-out-nationally-today/

If you have tenants on housing benefit, it is vital that you are aware of changes to their financial circumstances. Under the new Universal Credit system, six benefits – including housing benefit – are rolled into one and paid in a monthly sum. Additionally, landlords will no longer receive the payment directly and will rely on tenants paying their rent.

This could result in rent arrears, as many claimants have suffered long-term debt as a result of the long waiting time before their first instalment of Universal Credit is paid.

If you have properties in any of the areas below, be aware that your tenants may be going through some financial difficulties and support them where you can.

From yesterday (1^st February), the following postcode areas are subject to Universal Credit:

• AL4 8, AL6 and AL9 6 of St Albans.
• BD3 7, BD3 8, BD4 0, BD4 8, BD10 0 and BD11 1 in Bradford.
• CM5, CM15 0, CM16, CM17, CM18, CM19, CM20, CM21, CM22 and CM23 in Chelmsford.
• E4 7 of Waltham Forest, east London.
• EN8 9, EN9, EN10 and EN11 in Enfield, north London.
• IG10 in Ilford, northeast London.
• LS1, LS2, LS3, LS4, LS5, LS6, LS7, LS8, LS9, LS10, LS11, LS12, LS13, LS14, LS15, LS16, LS17, LS18, LS19, LS20, LS21, LS22, LS23, LS24 8, LS24 9, LS25 3, LS25 5, LS26 0, LS27, LS28 and LS29 6 in Leeds.
• SG1, SG2, SG3, SG4, SG5 1, SG5 2, SG5 9, SG6, SG8 1, SG9, SG10, SG11, SG12, SG13 and SG14 of Stevenage.
• SS2 5, SS2 6, SS3 0, SS3 9, SS4, SS5, SS6, SS9 5 and SS11 in Southend-on-Sea.
• ST1, ST2, ST3, ST4, ST5 0, ST5 1, ST6, ST7 4, ST8 7, ST9, ST10, ST11, ST12 and ST13 in Stoke-on-Trent.
• WF3 2 and WF17 0 of Wakefield.

For the recent roll out areas, go here, here, here and here.

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