Who informs Universal Credit of Rent Increase?

anitaS

I am a private landlord .My tenant's rent is paid direct to me by Universal Credit . Do I,or the tenant, inform Universal Credit of a rent increase ?

teaselMay

The tenant via their online account. You may be asked to confirm but in the first instance they will need to report it

teaselMay

Actually there may be a way for you to notify too, I've only scan read it but here or in one of it's links https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-and-rented-housing--2/universal-credit-and-rented-housing-guide-for-landlords

Newcad

LOL- Today I got a text message from my Housing Association reminding me to update UC with my rent increase.

Crossed wires in the computer.

I spent 15 mins on the phone with them last week changing my Direct Debit payments from monthly to 4-weekly; because I reached State Pension Age at the end of February and my UC ended in March.

So it's now the council that I have to poke rather than UC. (And the council is being slow setting up HB and changing CTR, 6'weeks now, so I think another poke is about due).

TimeLord1

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81962869#Comment_81962869

You would think that UC ending would be as quick as UC starting the Council are quick and sending the final notice out, so maybe UC just terminated the UC claim and that's that. @Newcad who did you phone the council?

And you changed payments from monthly to weekly. 🤔 With the Housing Association? I don't think they have too much contact with the council unlike UC. Oh it maybe confirmation of pensions holding it up. And if you have a private one.

luvchocolate

My council have no contact with housing association..I receive state pension and update the council every year when rent increase is announced.

I also have state pension and rent weekly..I find it easier to budget

Neko1234

Newcad we are at similar stages in changing to state pension and waiting for the council so I'm with you there!

Newcad

It was the HA that I phoned to change my DD from monthly to 4-weekly. I pay the rent myself from my own bank account.

Pension Age HB was claimed online, as was the CofC for Council Tax. (It's the same online form with my council).

They did later ask for written confirmation of last years rent amount, and the increase for year 26-27, I took that down to their reception where it was scanned in, along with my SP increase letter which they hadn't asked for but....

The only thing the online form asked about the private pension was who it's with and the reference number, so you have to assume the council will comtact them directly.

PS. Since i did the online CofC I have had a new Council Tax bill for 2026-27, it's been calculated as my still having UC though, and so shows zero to pay which is wrong and I'll need a new one when they finally wake up.

PPS. I still owe UC about £150 for a budgeting advance I took last year to buy a new laptop, I'm waiting for a letter from DWP Debt Managment asking for it.

TimeLord1

Does your council tax comeback with a Disabled reduction? If so that can leave CT the same. Or being under your specific address. Or they still waiting on DWP to process the pension age entitlement.

Newcad

None of the above.

It's simply that on the government 'league tables' my particular council is one of the slowest in the country for dealing with new HB claims.

(Cumberland is a newly combined council, on the shaded map most of its previously seperate area ie. Carlisle, Allerdale, were both in the 27-148 average processing days group. Where I live is what used to be Copeland in the 14-17 days group, but of course that has now been dragged down by the merger of the 3 councils).

The fact that they still insist on sending letters rather than emails doesn't help when Royal Mail is taking up to two weeks to deliver them.