Housing allowance on UC

Marsha2007

Sorry as this is the second post I've done today.  I've had my first UC statement through today, so am full of questions!

I have done numerous benefit calculators over the last few months, and all of them have said I am entitled to full housing allowance to cover the rent.  I have thought this strange as I wasn't getting full housing benefit, but I've done it so many times and have doubled checked everything to make sure the info I'm putting into the calculators are correct.

My first statement has come through today and everything else is on there correct, but the housing element differs to what the calculators say by about £250 (so half of my rent).  I'm not quite sure why and I don't know how it's calculated, so don't know if it's correct or not.

Now, I'm getting more than I did on Tax Credits/Housing Benefit, so perhaps I shouldn't complain.  But, are the calculators on Entitled To and Turn2Us fairly accurate (I know they only go on what you put it, but I'm pretty sure that is all correct).  Should I just accept what they've given, and assume the calculators are wrong or should I question it?  I did read that the Housing Element on UC is about the same as Housing Benefit (for me, the Housing Element is about £100 more).

Again, sorry for the questions, and thanks for any advice.

Rubyroobs

Is it private rent or social housing ? Do you have spare bedrooms?

Marsha2007

Social housing, 2 bedrooms - me, husband and son.  I've just done both Turn2Us and EntitledTo calculators again, and both say full rent - I don't understand tbh. 

Marsha2007

I have sent a message on my journal asking them for a breakdown of how they got to the amount on the statement. I double checked everything on the calculator is right so they must be putting in something that either I'm not or I'm not being asked to. Everything else on the calculator is matches, so it's strange that the housing element doesn't. Does Pip need to be put onto their system (even though it's not taken into account), I wonder if it's something to do with that? 

Marsha2007

No, I've just done another calculation without Pip or registered blind and it still gives full rent 🤦 I give up, I'll wait and see what they say, if anything. Are they pretty good at dealing with queries? 

kkkklinky

When I was paying rent HB only paid £308 but UC paid £340:the full amount. So it is possible to have a different amount when claiming other benefits.

KxMx

UC is paid monthly, housing benefit weekly. 

As there are 4.3 weeks in a month, UC Housing Element pays more than 4 weeks rent.

To convert a weekly figure into monthly you multiply by 52 then divide by 12. 

kkkklinky

My rent wasn't being fully paid under HB though...I had to pay £36 a month top up. Whereas under UC it was fully paid. So the conversion from 4 weekly to monthly was irrelevant as I was better off with UC Housing Element...no idea why as it definitely wasn't due to the yearly increase as I switched in September.

Marsha2007

I queried why it was different to the calculator. UC said it was because the Housing Association have ticked the box that says only one claimant is on the tenancy so the payment was half the housing costs (for only one claimant). However, both of our names are on the tenancy, and they should have said this. So now I'm having to get the HA to sort this out. UC have been really good if I'm honest. We've sent the housing costs three times to the HA to get them to tick the right box but each time they keep saying only one claimant is on the tenancy. Now, the Housing costs cant be applied until we agree with the HA, so we're now having to wait until they look at it, which could be up to 7 days 🤦. My payment is due Friday, so I'm not sure what's going to happen with that. Our housing officer says everything is right on the tenancy, it's all down to whoever is ticking the box, and we're apparently not the first ones it's happened to 🤷

KxMx

If your rent amount is later corrected, they will backdate and pay you any money owed. 
When this has been calculated, a letter will be added to your Journal stating how much they owe you. The money will arrive within a few working days.