Housing Element on Universal Credit

Grey's_Anatomyfan643

I have just been to my second appointment at Job Centre and I asked my work coach if I get sanctioned in the near future, will my Housing Element be affected? he said, they is a possibility, this can't be right can it? what happens then? do I go to my council and inform them to get a nil-income form?

Hopefully, it won't come to that as I hope I get a job ASAP.

marliepanda

Grey's_Anatomyfan643 wrote: »

I have just been to my second appointment at Job Centre and I asked my work coach if I get sanctioned in the near future, will my Housing Element be affected? he said, they is a possibility, this can't be right can it? what happens then? do I go to my council and inform them to get a nil-income form?

Hopefully, it won't come to that as I hope I get a job ASAP.

Contrary to some, its not difficult to avoid sanctions. If you do what you are supposed to, aka look for jobs and attend appointments, its very easy to not be sanctioned.

So, seems a bit odd to plan for what happens when you get a sanction. Im not sure what the council would do if you were sanctioned, once youre off HB they wont be interested.

Alice_Holt

The Housing element will not be affected by sanctions.

However, without the other elements you will probably need to use that element to live - in effect eating the rent. So, it is likely you will fall into rent arrears and may face eviction.

Sanctions are cumulative, a second sanction within a year lasts longer than the first.

Some info here:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/sanctions/if-youve-been-sanctioned/

Mersey_2

Grey's_Anatomyfan643 wrote: »

I have just been to my second appointment at Job Centre and I asked my work coach if I get sanctioned in the near future, will my Housing Element be affected? he said, they is a possibility, this can't be right can it?

No, you're correct and the DWP employee was wrong.


The main administrative advantage of UC over JSA is that JCP staff cannot close your claim in error - which would have stopped your HB.