Universal Credit rant and stress over housing component

dekaspace · 15 October 2019 at 1:21PM

Due to their batch payment systems I will be about 6 weeks in arrears always. I was stressed out as got a letter from my social housing landlord stating I was 2 weeks in arrears at that point, I have been to university but they confused me with jargon and were quite grumpy.

Basically I am assessed on 10th of each month and they send payment in batches but told me multiple times up to now its sent on the 17th, meaning normally the last week of month its in, I am £140 in credit as got backdated DHP payments so should never be in arrears and 2 weeks of month £140 in credit.

DWP told me that they sent the batch payments the 12th last month so I missed the cut off so it wont get sent till the 17th of this month.

Defeats the purpose of paying direct if its always going to be in arrears yet if I paid myself the council would get payments 4 weeks before!

One of the reasons I get health payments is severe anxiety, and depression! They have contributed to this

Just a little stressed, checking if this is correct and to vent about how bad this system is!

huckster · 15 October 2019 at 11:35PM

You rent from a Social rented landlord and if you have an alternative payment arrangement in place, where UC pays your landlord direct, then yes there will be a delay in your rent account being credited.

But this is the system agreed between DWP and your landlord. If you don't feel comfortable with UC paying Housing directly to your landlord, then speak to your landlord. You can ask for the direct payment arrangement to be cancelled and you can then take control of paying your rent.

dekaspace · 16 October 2019 at 9:52AM

Thanks, it was more they have a confusing way of dealing with things, telling me rent is for a certain period, then telling me its paid in arrears. So if its paid in arrears then 1 payment is missing i.e they say they have paid Augusts rent but since a payment in September didn't arrive then that would of been Augusts rent payment if it was paid in arrears!

So they are so unclear!

huckster · 16 October 2019 at 8:47PM

You will probably always be in arrears.

For example, say your assessment is 11th Sept to 10th October, with your payment due on 17th October. As your landlord does not receive their bulk UC Housing payment until 12th of month, your rent account would not be credited until 12th November at the earliest.

So when you receive any rent statement it will show you in arreara and your landlord knows this will be the situation.

If this is causing you anxiety, you should speak to the landlord.

Universal Credit rant and stress over housing component

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free