UC housing element rent in advance

Mozza001

Hi all

A friend who is on UC has asked me to lend them 6k to pay 6 months rent up front in a new Tennancy

She has been told to move by old landlord, and no agency nearby is accepting benefits, however one has stated they can of she pays 6 month up front.

Google, AI all say this is fine and she will still be able to claim the housing element of UC , however in her monthly interview her work coach said no, she won't get it.

Is it possible the work coach is mistaken?

Grumpy_chap

Has the court told her to move from current premises?

If it is only the LL who suggested she moves, she can stay put.

Mozza001

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81963767#Comment_81963767

Just the landlord.

But she will need to move eventually.

elsien

if you give the money to her and it counts for savings and takes her over the limit it could affect universal credit.

I wonder if paying it to the landlord directly would make any difference?

silvercar

Rent in advance will be illegal from 1 May 2026.

What happens going forward? Pays rent, so there is always 6 months in the landlord's hand or review after 6 months? I'd tread carefully.

Mozza001

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81963781#Comment_81963781

Te Work coach said " You will not be eligible for housing element of Universal Credit as your tenancy agreement will state you have paid 6 months up front."

Which is contradicting everything on the net, even shelter website says it's OK to do this.

Shelter website

Getting rent in advance back through benefits

If you get universal credit or housing benefit to help with rent, your benefit is worked out in the same way even if you've paid rent in advance.

So you should get some or all of the money you pay up front back through your monthly universal credit payments.

But shelter don't pay the benefit.

HillStreetBlues

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6664237/uc-housing-element-rent-in-advance

To address your question, the WC is talking total and utter cr4p.

When I moved into my current property I paid 6 months up front while on UC and no issues.

Yamor

The potential issue is that once the rent has been paid you are no longer "liable" to pay rent. This was considered a serious enough issue that for legacy housing benefit purposes, special provision was included in the regulations to confirm that you are still considered "liable" despite having paid up front. (See the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006, reg. 8(2).)

However, for UC, as part of the simplification of the regulations, that provision was removed, as it was considered unnecessary, and therefore otiose.

So, yes, there is nothing to worry about.

Mozza001

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81963866#Comment_81963866

Sorry, you've lost me.

AAre you saying she SHOULD still get the housing element or not?

Yamor

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81963870#Comment_81963870

She will still get it.

Mozza001

She asked work coach if rules had changed and they checked for her.

.they have confirmed, yes, if she is liable fir the rent she can still claim the housing element.

Many thanks for the replies.