About to rent a flat how does it work, with housing benefit?

Margret1994

So lets say I get a visit and I accept the flat from the estate agent now what do I do? 

I have to message Universal Credit and ask for the housing benefit? 

So it will take them about 3 days to respond to my message. 

Do they pay the deposit? 

Do I pay the landlord the deposit and one months rent upfront or just the deposit usually? 

Do you pay the landlord  rent at the end of every month or at the start of each month?

How soon can housing benefit start paying?

Should make sure to get the ok or first payment from housing benefit first before I give them my deposit? (I dont want to pay for the deposit then have  a hick up with the benefits not coming through leaving me without a big sum of cash)

Currently in a forest in a tent and suffering very intensely. 

Thanks and kind regards

Zinger549

You need to report a change. Where you live and what it costs. Put the details in there (address, rent amount, landlord details). If you just leave a message in your journal it won't get updated on the system.  That's what someone at the Job centre told me.

itsthelittlethings

It's called housing element.

itsthelittlethings

Get a tenancy agreement, do the usual tedious stuff online.

The money will go into your account and you *must* then pay the landlord.

itsthelittlethings

You may be able to access council support to pay the deposit or ask for an advance to pay it (which you would have to pay back) as a loan.

sgthammer

You'll need at least two months' rent in hand (1 month + deposit) when you sign the lease, possibly more depending on the agency. Once upon a time that was all you needed, but nowadays you can expect to have to provide ID, references, bank statements and so on. Some self-managing landlords may still be slacker, but that can be a mixed blessing.

Housing benefit is paid in arrears and probably won't cover your full rent unless you're in social housing or there are special circumstances of some kind. If you're already on UC and it's just a question of adding the housing element, you might get a part payment quite quickly or not depending where you are in your Assessment Period; if it's a new claim or you're in one of the groups that still get Housing Benefit as such, it could be 5 weeks (for UC) or more if you're unlucky, and rent day will come round again in the meantime. That said, there are crisis funding facilities as itsthelittlethings has mentioned, at least if you can plead your case well enough.

Don't let this discourage you, tight finances and a roof over your head is better than wintering in a tent. But forewarned is forearmed. Best of luck.

Spoonie_Turtle

sgthammer said:

You'll need at least two months' rent in hand (1 month + deposit) when you sign the lease, possibly more depending on the agency. Once upon a time that was all you needed, but nowadays you can expect to have to provide ID, references, bank statements and so on. Some self-managing landlords may still be slacker, but that can be a mixed blessing.

Housing benefit is paid in arrears and probably won't cover your full rent unless you're in social housing or there are special circumstances of some kind. If you're already on UC and it's just a question of adding the housing element, you might get a part payment quite quickly or not depending where you are in your Assessment Period; if it's a new claim or you're in one of the groups that still get Housing Benefit as such, it could be 5 weeks (for UC) or more if you're unlucky, and rent day will come round again in the meantime. That said, there are crisis funding facilities as itsthelittlethings has mentioned, at least if you can plead your case well enough.

Don't let this discourage you, tight finances and a roof over your head is better than wintering in a tent. But forewarned is forearmed. Best of luck.

I'm not sure that's correct, unless you mean a budgeting loan of some sort which will have to be paid back.

The person reports the change, then gets paid the housing element in their payment for that assessment period.  So if someone moves in near the end of their AP they'll still get a month's worth of rent (the housing element amount) on their usual payment date even if they've only been there for a week and a bit.  If they move in near the beginning of their assessment period then they'll still get the month's amount on their usual payment date, and add you say if that's effectively a 5 week wait then it will certainly feel like arrears.

(Just to be clear for the OP, in terms of the date for paying rent, that's not related to the AP dates of UC at all.)

@Margret1994 as you mention an estate agent I'm assuming you will be privately renting.  In this case you can find out how much your maximum rent help will be for your area using this tool https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/
Depending on your age (under or over 35) you will either be entitled to the shared accommodation rate or one bedroom rate, unless you also claim daily living PIP/SADP or middle or high rate care DLA.  Or unless you've lived in hostels or a refuge for 3+ months apparently, which I didn't previously know https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/benefits/benefits_for_under_35s_in_shared_housing

Once you have the weekly rate, x52 ÷12 to get the monthly amount UC will pay.