Lord Freud, Minister for Welfare Reform, announced at yesterday’s Chartered Institute of Housing conference, (https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/direct-payments-system) the Government was anxious to work in collaboration with Social Landlords to protect tenants from the vagaries of rent arrears and safeguard Landlords’ cash-flows. He said, ‘The key to making direct payments work will be…

Good morning, Most private landlords, accommodating LHA tenants, will be well aware of the fact the rates applicable to LHA tenants have been frozen at 2015 levels for a period of 4 years. The freeze was applied following George Osborne’s Summer Budget of 2015. At the time, the Government made…

Good morning, One of the most common questions I’m asked, as I travel GB, presenting UC seminars, is: “From what date should our tenants’ eligibility to Universal Credit begin?” In answer to the question, I would draw your attention to many of DWP publications, which, in my opinion, give the…

Good afternoon As I’m sure you’re aware, we are fast approaching the 31st March 2017 deadline set by the DWP to report any April, 2017 rent increases, applicable to tenants of yours, living in areas designated “LIVE” for Universal Credit purposes. Ordinarily the obligation to report any change in circumstances,…

Good morning When DWP first introduced Alternative Payment Arrangements (APAs) it said their purpose was to help tenants with budgeting issues sustain tenancies and protect landlords from any unnecessary rental loss. So, you would think, when a Landlord informed them via their UC 47 pro-forma, one of its tenants has…

Good afternoon As you may already know, the Scottish Government, in the past week, published the Universal Credit (Claims & Payment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 – SI No. 227. You’ll find the legislation here: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2017/227/introduction/made The regulations are designed to bring to life, the Scottish Government’s longstanding commitment to: Introduce choice…

Good morning One of our Housing Association clients alerted me to a problem relating to the payment of Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs). Specifically, their local authority had stopped paying DHPs where its tenants had their “housing element” redirected to their landlord. After some investigation, I discovered the problem could be…

Good morning   The Scottish Government has just started an 8 week consultation period on the draft Universal Credit (Claims & Payments) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 which make provision for: Fortnightly payments of Universal Credit; and Claimant choice to have payments redirected to their landlord. It’s vitally important all Scottish landlords…

Good morning Around £1 Billion of Housing Benefit Overpayments are identified as recoverable every year and, at any time, around £2 Billion remains outstanding despite the recovery efforts of councils. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/509751/hb-recoveries-and-fraud-data-to-sept-2015.pdf DWP provides guidance and subsidy incentives to councils, encouraging recovery from those considered culpable. Currently, local councils receive a subsidy…

Good afternoon, The Scottish Government only last week confirmed its intention to provide tenants with the option of having payments, made fortnightly, and, if preferred, redirected to their landlords. We’ve known for sometime that’s what SG intended, so its not news. However, SG has, as yet, to provide dates for…