Housing element of UC has gone up but will other benefits also rise?

Kris35

I'm getting around an extra fourty pounds a month housing benefit and just wondered if the standard allowance and my LCWRA will be going up as well?

Thanks.

born_again

https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/what-youll-get

Kris35

Great, thanks.

PinstripePhantom

This calculator will help you figure out the exact amount if you don't want to do the manual calculations yourself https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator/

I did it just now and it matches my manual calculations.

poppy12345

Kris35 said:

I'm getting around an extra fourty pounds a month housing benefit and just wondered if the standard allowance and my LCWRA will be going up as well?

Thanks.

Unless you're living in either supported or temporary housing then you won't be claiming Housing benefit. Your rent will be paid in with your UC known as housing element. They are two completely different benefits. 

Newcad

If you are in a Social rental:
Your rent will have gone up on April 1st, and so the UC Housing Element will have gone up to suit that rent increase with this months UC payment.

Your UC Standard Allowance and other UC Elements will not go up until next months payment.

If you are in a Private rental:

Your UC Housing allowance is based on the LHA rates, and will not show up in your UC payment until the other rate changes do - unless of course your private landlord also put up the rent.

It's whether your rent went up this month or not that makes the difference.
It's just coincidental that for Social rentals the anual rent rise happens about the same time as the benefit rate changes.

KxMx

Newcad said:

If you are in a Social rental:
Your rent will have gone up on April 1st, and so the UC Housing Element will have gone up to suit that rent increase with this months UC payment.

Your UC Standard Allowance and other UC Elements will not go up until next months payment.

If you are in a Private rental:

Your UC Housing allowance is based on the LHA rates, and will not show up in your UC payment until the other rate changes do - unless of course your private landlord also put up the rent.

It's whether your rent went up this month or not that makes the difference.
It's just coincidental that for Social rentals the anual rent rise happens about the same time as the benefit rate changes.

Only if LL has confirmed the increase in time. 
With social housing the tenant tells UC the amount, then UC get confirmation from LL. 

Last year my March - April AP payment had the old rent amount as my LL hadn't yet confirmed the new amount. When they did so about a week later UC sent through the additional amount promptly. 

This year my LL was quicker so my March - April AP payment had the new amount paid. 

Newcad

It sounds that your particular HA wasn't using the automated tools on the DWP's "Landlord Portal" for Social landlords last year - but probably has done this year.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/landlord-portal-using-automation-to-confirm-housing-costs

I've always had a 'To do' on my journal to give then new rent and service charges and it's always been verified the same day I 'do' it.

Kris35

Newcad said:

If you are in a Social rental:
Your rent will have gone up on April 1st, and so the UC Housing Element will have gone up to suit that rent increase with this months UC payment.

Your UC Standard Allowance and other UC Elements will not go up until next months payment.

If you are in a Private rental:

Your UC Housing allowance is based on the LHA rates, and will not show up in your UC payment until the other rate changes do - unless of course your private landlord also put up the rent.

It's whether your rent went up this month or not that makes the difference.
It's just coincidental that for Social rentals the anual rent rise happens about the same time as the benefit rate changes.

Yes my housing element went up this month and I see I'll be getting around another £70 this month. Is it really a coincidence that my social housing rent went up the same time as this increase in benefits? I've only been here for just over a year but I think my rent goes up every year from what I can gather.

Newcad

Well not really a coincidence, it's simply that April is the traditional start of the "Financial Year" so a lot of different things are all changing at about the same time.

But they are different things so the changes to each get seen taking effect at slightly different times.