Rent Increases and UC Migration Notice

TimeLord1

So finally I received the migration notice to be claimed by 17th July 2025

Having just notified the council of Housing Association increases and getting the new update, the new rates start in mid-May from the council.

My question is, is it best to wait until new rent amounts are due to start the Universal Credit claim, or will that affect or cause problems if I start this process now?

Also the letter has no national insurance number on it,  just a reference sequence.

Why does it not include my national insurance number?

huckster

Are the social housing amounts paid by HB different to the housing element calculation under UC?

If not, I am not sure of the rationale for waiting before claiming UC. But no harm in waiting until.the rent change has changed the HB award amount.

I am.sure NI not being on the migration letter must be a security step to reduce risk.

TimeLord1

The huckster said,

Are the social housing amounts paid by HB different to the housing element calculation under UC?

If not, I am not sure of the rationale for waiting before claiming UC. But no harm in waiting until.the rent change has changed the HB award amount.

I am.sure NI not being on the migration letter must be a security step to reduce risk.

I reported the association new rents and ESA payments to the benefit section in April and just got the letter a few days ago, but the payment dates changes to May, so I was going to open this UC account but was put off by the future rent dates the council will be paying to the housing association.

As for the national insurance number missing, I have never had a letter without it. I even looked up its format and contact numbers. Very basic and poorly administered system—no help really, unlike previous migration from IB to ESA. I think it's basically bots the majority of the process.

8dayweek

Pretty much everyone who lives in social housing will have had a Rent Increase in April, so by now I would think anyone with an active HB award will have been reassessed for the new rates. 

It’s not when HB at the new rates is physically paid that’s counted for UC Migration, it’s the amount of HB awarded the day immediately prior to your UC claim. Essentially if HB has been updated (from 01/04 or 07/04 is most common) then the new rate will be what you’re awarded the day before your UC claim and will be used for Transitional Protection calculations etc. 

TimeLord1

A couple of years ago, the Housing Association told me they informed the council of their increases to the rents, so I left it once, and it didn't change until I submitted it again. But the dates given by the council are always in arrears, so it goes into May.

I'll be honest, I'm sick of waiting and it lingering in the background for years—well over a decade. Migration is coming. Being mostly contribution-related, it seems like a lot of hassle to change a name and repeat what was only to erode it over time.

sammyjammy

TimeLord1 said:

A couple of years ago, the Housing Association told me they informed the council of their increases to the rents, so I left it once, and it didn't change until I submitted it again. But the dates given by the council are always in arrears, so it goes into May.

I'll be honest, I'm sick of waiting and it lingering in the background for years—well over a decade. Migration is coming. Being mostly contribution-related, it seems like a lot of hassle to change a name and repeat what was only to erode it over time.

There is no requirement to claim UC, its entirely your choice.

TimeLord1

sammyjammy said:

TimeLord1 said:

A couple of years ago, the Housing Association told me they informed the council of their increases to the rents, so I left it once, and it didn't change until I submitted it again. But the dates given by the council are always in arrears, so it goes into May.

I'll be honest, I'm sick of waiting and it lingering in the background for years—well over a decade. Migration is coming. Being mostly contribution-related, it seems like a lot of hassle to change a name and repeat what was only to erode it over time.

There is no requirement to claim UC, its entirely your choice.

Indeed, it depends if you want to survive or not. But as you say, there is no mandatory or compulsory notice, just a closure of legacy payment, as they call it.