Avoiding a bureaucratic nightmare: How do I notify the DWP of an upcoming rent increase?

CMB3

I receive universal credit along with the housing costs element and my rent will be increasing in roughly one month. I have a couple of questions:

1. What is the procedure for informing the DWP of this upcoming change?

2. Given the DWP's reputation for misunderstandings when changes are made, often leading to bureaucratic nightmares, I was wondering if you could give me some tips for avoiding this.

Many thanks.

tomtom256

It's quite simple, declare the change on the day it happens and then provide the evidence they will ask for.

poppy12345

Are you privately renting or living in social housing? If privately renting your entitlement will be based on the local housing allowance (LHA) based on your circumstances and the area you live. LHA doesn't always cover the whole of your rent, in fact the majority of the time it doesn't. If there's a shortfall of rent you will need to pay that yourself. 

Newcad

You only tell them when a change happens.

They do not want to know about any changes in advance only when they do happen/have happened.
If you try to tell them in advance they will just tell you to report it only when it has happened.

Changes that do happen are applied from the begining of the UC AP in which they do happen.
(Except for a few special ones such as reaching State Pension Age).

As said if you are in a Private Rental then your UC Housing Element may not change if you already get the full LHA rate that you are entitled to.

R200

I understand not wanting to rock the boat and risk having benefits stopped if you can’t provide everything they ask for.

my suggestion is get everything together that you think they may ask for before you notify them of any changes 

this is always good advice no matter what the changes 

this will prevent someone telling of a change and then being asked to provide lots of things that are hard to get and having money stopped while frantically trying to get all the things they require