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More Housing Benefit Tenants Subject to Universal Credit
This article is an external press release originally published on the Landlord News website, which has now been migrated to the Just Landlords blog.
Do you have tenants on housing benefit? If so, you must be aware of Universal Credit, the Government’s new welfare system.
Universal Credit sees six benefit payments, including housing benefit, rolled into one monthly payout. This means that housing benefit will be paid directly to tenants for the first time. Landlords, it is important that you communicate with your tenants about any financial changes.
It is believed that Universal Credit is leading to a rise in rent arrears. Protect your investment with rent guarantee insurance to minimise damage to your lettings business.
Since the New Year, Universal Credit has been rolling out across the country. See the areas it is already in operation here, here, here and here. Remember that we will keep you up-to-date with all of the new areas where benefit claimants will soon be receiving the new payments.
If you have rental properties in any of the following areas, your benefit tenants will now be on Universal Credit:
- BR1 4, BR1 5 and BR3 1 in Bromley.
- CR4 1 in Croydon.
- DA1 3, DA1 4, DA1 5, DA5, DA6, DA7, DA8, DA14, DA15, DA16, DA17 and DA18 in Dartford.
- DY3 1 in Dudley.
- GU11, GU12 4, GU14, GU30, GU31, GU32, GU33, GU34 1, GU34 2, GU34 3, GU34 9, GU35, GU51 and GU52 in Guildford.
- RG7 1 in Reading.
- SE2, SE3, SE4, SE5, SE6, SE8 3, SE8 4, SE8 9, SE9 2, SE9 3, SE9 4, SE10 8, SE11, SE12 0, SE12 8, SE12 9, SE13, SE14, SE15, SE16 3, SE16 9, SE17, SE19, SE21, SE22, SE23, SE24, SE26, SE27 and SE28 in southeast London.
- SO24 0 in Southampton.
- SW2, SW3, SW4, SW8, SW9, SW11 1, SW11 3, SW11 4, SW11 5, SW11 6, SW12, SW16, SW17 8 and SW17 9 in southwest London and Battersea.
- TS1, TS2, TS3, TS4, TS5, TS7 8, TS8, TS9 7, TS17 7 and TS17 9 in Cleveland/Teesside.
- WS10 8 in Walsall.
- WV1, WV2, WV3, WV4, WV5, WV6, WV7, WV8, WV9, WV10, WV11, WV12, WV13 and WV14 in Wolverhampton.