Universal Credit Almost at the End of its Rollout

As of today, Universal Credit is now in operation in most of the UK. Below, we detail which postcode areas have moved onto the Government’s new welfare system.

Since its introduction in 2013, Universal Credit has been on a nationwide rollout to new areas every Monday.

The new welfare system sees six payments rolled into one monthly payout, meaning that claimants receive all of their benefits in one. For those receiving housing benefit, the change also means that they will be paid instead of their landlord.

If you are a landlord of housing benefit tenants, you must be aware of this change, as it means that tenants are now responsible for paying their rent when it is due.

It is also important to note that many claimants have been forced into long-term debt since moving onto Universal Credit. Your tenants may be facing financial difficulty as their benefits change, so remember to communicate with them about any problems they are having. You can also protect your rental income with Rent Guarantee Insurance, which ensures you still get paid if your tenants default on rent payments.

For information on the previous areas that moved onto the new system, see our latest piece on Universal Credit: /following-areas-now-moved-onto-universal-credit/

As of today, the following postcode areas have moved onto Universal Credit:

• DN6 7 in Doncaster.
• LS25 1, LS25 2, LS25 4, LS25 7, LS26 8 and LS26 9 of Leeds.
• S71 4, S72 9, S75 4 and S75 5 in Sheffield.
• WF1, WF2, WF3 1, WF3 3, WF3 4, WF4, WF5, WF6, WF7, WF8, WF9, WF10, WF11, WF12 0, WF12 7 and WF12 8 in Wakefield.

We will continue to keep you updated of all the financial changes affecting the private rental sector, both for landlords and tenants.