Universal Credit Rollout Continues

If you have tenants on housing benefit, it is vital that you keep up-to-date with their financial circumstances and the changes to the welfare system.

As of today, many more places will be subject to Universal Credit, the Government’s new benefits scheme, which sees six payments rolled into one monthly payout.

Those in receipt of housing benefit will now receive the allowance directly, rather than having the payment sent to their landlord.

If your tenants claim housing benefit, be aware that if they live in the areas below – or any of the previous areas where the system has rolled out to – you will no longer be paid their rent directly.

Instead, the tenants will be responsible for paying their rent each week or month.

It is important to understand that their finances will be changing and there have been reports of long waiting times between payouts as the system changes over, pushing some tenants into long-term debt.

If you are worried about your tenants missing rent payments, protect your income with rent guarantee insurance – the best way to ensure you still get paid.

From today, Universal Credit will be implemented in the following postcode areas:

• CB6 1 and CB6 2 of Cambridge.
• EC1M 3, EC1N, EC1R 4 and EC1R 5 in Eastern Central London.
• IP26 and IP27 9 of Ipswich.
• N1C, N1 0, N1 9, N2 0, N2 9, N6, N7 0, N7 9, N8, N10, N11 2, N13 6, N15 3, N15 4, N15 5, N17, N19 5 and N22 in North London.
• NR21 9, NR22 and NR23 of Norwich.
• NW1, NW2 2, NW2 3, NW3, NW5, NW6 1, NW6 2, NW6 3, NW6 4, NW6 5, NW8 0, NW8 6 and NW8 7 in northwest London.
• PE7 1, PE7 2, PE12 0, PE13, PE14, PE15, PE16, PE26 2, PE28 3, PE30, PE31, PE32, PE33, PE34, PE35, PE36 and PE38 in Peterborough.
• TS6, TS7 0, TS7 9, TS9 6, TS10, TS11, TS12, TS13, TS15 and TS29 in Cleveland.
• W1T 1, W1T 2, W1T 4, W1T 5, W1T 6, W1T 7, W9 1 and W9 3 of west London.
• WC1A, WC1B, WC1E, WC1H, WC1N, WC1R, WC1V, WC1X, WC2A, WC2B, WC2H 0, WC2H 8 and WC2H 9 in central London.

We will continue keeping you informed of the latest areas to move onto Universal Credit with landlord updates at LandlordNews.co.uk.