Good morning

One of my Housing Association clients notified me, just the other day, they’d won a Housing Benefit dispute with their local council, producing a £3000 Housing Benefit back-payment, wiping out their tenant’s rent arrears and, just as importantly, preventing her premature migration to Universal Credit, which would have…

I’ve had some reaction to yesterday’s bulletin, from a number of housing associations who have been advised by DWP that they will not accept notification, until after the change has occurred. So, in the case of a rent charge, effective from 1st April 2019, DWP is maintaining, at least,…

My 10th February bulletin mentioned DWP was still deliberating on how best to handle the annual up-rating of rents exercise, in the Social Rented Sector, but hoped to confirm its position by 21st February. Regrettably, its position remains unsettled but it has made the following statement:

…

DWP has only recently published its latest
newsletter addressed to social & private landlords. You can find it here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-landlord-engagement-newsletters/february-2019-universal-credit-landlord-engagement-newsletter

I have extracted some elements, which should be of particular
interest and assistance to private landlords, engaged in providing
accommodation to tenants, currently relying on LHA,…

Good Morning

DWP’s latest Landlord newsletter refers to “untidy tenancies” and explains how, in some cases, DWP’s “Decision Maker” may exercise discretion, regarding the amount of “housing costs element” allowed in cases of separation etc. to permit a joint tenant to be able to meet the contractual rent and remain…

Good afternoon

My 15th January bulletin https://universalcreditadvice.com/bulletins/introduction-of-severe-disability-premium-sdp-gateway/ explained how the Government had introduced a new “Gateway” provision, effective from 16th January 2019, preventing anyone with a Severe Disability Premium (SDP) entitlement, from claiming Universal Credit, before the “Managed Migration” process started in mid to late 2020. This move was…

As we fast approach the annual up-rating of rental charges in the Social Rented Sector (Scotland), regrettably DWP is still deliberating on what information it intends to provide to those landlords, ready to assist tenants through the process, fearing, if they don’t, some of their more vulnerable tenants will either…

Good morning

Our 14th January 2019 bulletin highlighted the publication of the Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) (SP Gateway) Amendment Regulations 2019.

Amongst other things, these regulations, effective from 16th January, 2019 provide that NO claim for Universal Credit (UC) can be made by any of your tenants who are entitled to,…

Good morning

With Parliamentarians and the media, fully focused on the Commons Brexit vote, Guy Opperman, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Pensions & Financial Inclusion, decided it was the ideal time to make a written statement on the Government’s future plans in relation to the way mixed age couples…

In the past week there’s been a flurry of activity and media coverage, relating to the proposed rollout of Universal Credit and some associated measures. I covered some of these issues in an earlier bulletin, suggesting the previous Secretary of State had caused some confusion. It would appear DWP and…