New Welfare System Introduced for More Housing Benefit Tenants

Every Monday, the Universal Credit scheme is rolled out further across the UK. And today – leap year day – is no different.

If you are not familiar with Universal Credit, it is the Government’s new benefits system that rolls six payments into one monthly payout. This includes housing benefit.

Last week, we reported on some controversy surrounding housing benefit and private tenants; in the London Borough of Hackney, tenant group Digs found just one rental property available to those in receipt of housing benefit. On Saturday, tenants campaigned against No DSS policies that many letting agents and landlords adopt.

If you are a landlord with tenants on housing benefit, be aware that their financial circumstances may have changed recently, or will be subject to change in the near future.

It is vital that you communicate with your tenants on any changes to their finances, to avoid rent arrears. If your tenants do default on the rent, remember that rent guarantee insurance is the best way to ensure you still get paid.

For the areas that have become subject to Universal Credit since the start of the year, see last week’s article: /yet-more-tenants-move-onto-universal-credit/

If you have rental properties in the following areas and rent to housing benefit claimants, they will be moved onto Universal Credit as of today:

• CB1, CB2, CB3, CB4, CB5, CB6 3, CB7, CB8 0, CB8 7, CB8 8, CB8 9, CB10, CB21, CB22, CB23, CB24 and CB25 in Cambridge.
• GU3 3, GU4 7, GU12 5, GU15, GU16, GU17, GU18, GU19, GU20, GU21, GU22, GU23, GU24, GU25, GU46, GU47 7 and GU47 8 of Guildford.
• HU1, HU2, HU3, HU4, HU5, HU6, HU7, HU8, HU9, HU11, HU12, HU13 9, HU16, HU19 and HU20 in Hull.
• IP28 8 of Ipswich.
• KT6 4, KT6 5, KT6 6, KT7, KT8, KT9 1, KT10, KT11, KT12, KT13, KT14, KT15, KT16 and KT22 0 in Kingston upon Thames.
• MK44 2 of Milton Keynes.
• PE2 6, PE7 3, PE8 6, PE19, PE26 1, PE27, PE28 0, PE28 2, PE28 4, PE28 5, PE28 9 and PE29 in Peterborough.
• SG7, SG8 0, SG8 5, SG8 6, SG8 7, SG8 8, SG8 9, SG19 2 and SG19 3 of Stevenage.
• SL4 2, SL5 0, SL5 7 and SL5 9 in Slough.
• TW12 2, TW15, TW16, TW17, TW18, TW19 and TW20 of Twickenham.

We will keep you updated of the next rollout areas at LandlordNews.co.uk.