Housing costs and Universal Credit

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1. What you can get

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 eligible for Universal Credit, you can get an extra amount of money to pay towards your housing costs.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

The money you get for housing can help pay for your:

Once you鈥檝e started claiming you need to report any changes in your circumstances. If you do not, your benefits may stop.

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 in supported, sheltered or temporary housing

You can apply for Universal Credit to help with living costs. Whether it can help with housing costs depends on your accommodation and how it supports you.

You can apply for Universal Credit to help with housing costs if both apply:

  • you live in supported or sheltered housing
  • 测辞耻鈥檙别 not getting 鈥榗are, support or supervision鈥� through your housing

You cannot get Universal Credit to help with housing costs if any of the following apply:

  • 测辞耻鈥檙别 living in supported or sheltered housing (such as a hostel) which provides you with 鈥榗are, support or supervision鈥�
  • 测辞耻鈥檙别 living in temporary accommodation arranged by your council because 测辞耻鈥檙别 homeless
  • 测辞耻鈥檙别 living in a refuge for survivors of domestic abuse

Apply for Housing Benefit instead.

Other help with housing costs

You can apply for help with financial difficulties from your main Universal Credit payment.

You might also be able to:

Your benefits might go down if you get more than the benefit cap amount.

If the money you get for housing does not cover all your rent

You might be able to get extra help from your local council with your rent and other housing costs, for example a rent deposit or moving costs. This is called a 鈥�Discretionary Housing Payment鈥�.

To apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment, contact your local council.

If you change your address

The amount of money you get for housing each month will be based on your housing costs at the end of your assessment period.

If you become homeless while 测辞耻鈥檙别 getting Universal Credit

You must report this in your online account. Your work coach can give you a break (called an 鈥榚asement鈥�) from your Claimant Commitment responsibilities so you have time to look for accommodation. You can still claim Universal Credit.

If you live in Scotland

You can get your extra amount for housing either:

  • paid to you in your Universal Credit payment
  • paid straight to your landlord

You can choose whether Universal Credit is paid once or twice a month.

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 making a new claim, you鈥檒l get a notification about this after your first payment.

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 already getting Universal Credit and have not had a notification, you can ask your work coach.

Payment dates in Scotland

You can choose to be paid once or twice a month.

When 测辞耻鈥檙别 paid twice a month your first payment will be for a full month. You鈥檒l get the first half of your second month鈥檚 payment a month after this. The second half will be paid 15 days later. This means there will be about a month and a half between your first payment and the full amount for your second month.

After this, you鈥檒l be paid twice a month.

Example

You get your first payment on 14 December. This payment is for a full month.

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 paid twice a month, you get half of your second payment on 14 January and the other half on 29 January.

You get paid on the 14th and 29th of each month after that.

2. Renting from a private landlord

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 eligible for Universal Credit you can get help towards your rent and some service charges.

You usually get the extra amount for housing in your Universal Credit payment and have to pay it to your landlord.

You can apply for help with financial difficulties from your main Universal Credit payment.

You might also be able to get Council Tax Reduction.

How much you鈥檒l get for housing

The amount of money you get for housing depends on:

  • your household size
  • your age
  • where you live

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 under 35 and live alone

If you are under 35 and do not live with a partner or children, you鈥檒l usually only be able to claim for a single room in a shared house. This is called the Local Housing Allowance shared accommodation rate (SAR).

You can use the to find out the rate in your area. Select 鈥榮hared accommodation鈥� for the number of bedrooms.

You can get more than the SAR if you:

  • are a care leaver and under 25
  • have previously lived in a hostel for homeless people for at least 3 months in total
  • are an ex-offender managed under an active
  • are getting the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • are getting the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) at the middle or highest rate
  • are getting Attendance Allowance or Constant Attendance Allowance
  • are getting Armed Forces Independence Payment
  • are a victim of domestic abuse
  • are a victim of modern slavery

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 35 or older and live alone

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 35 or older and live alone, you can claim for a one-bedroom property. You can use the to find out the rate in your area.

If you live with a partner or family

If you live with a partner or have children, the amount of money you get is based on how many bedrooms you need for your family.

The following are expected to share a bedroom:

  • an adult couple
  • 2 children under 16 of the same sex
  • 2 children under 10 (regardless of sex)

The following can have their own bedroom:

  • a single adult (16 or over)
  • a child that would normally share but shared bedrooms are already taken, for example you have 3 children and 2 already share
  • a couple or children who cannot share because of a disability or medical condition
  • an overnight carer for you, your partner, your child or another adult - this is only if the carer does not live with you but sometimes has to stay overnight

You can use the to find out the rate in your area.

If you live with someone who is 21 or older and is not your partner

The amount of money you get for housing will usually be reduced if you live with someone who is aged 21 or older and not your partner.

Your payment will not be reduced if 测辞耻鈥檙别 any of the following:

  • getting the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) at the middle or highest rate
  • getting the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • getting Attendance Allowance
  • getting Armed Forces Independence Payment
  • registered as blind

It also will not be reduced if the person aged 21 or older is any of the following:

  • getting Pension Credit
  • getting the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) at the middle or highest rate
  • getting the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • getting Attendance Allowance
  • getting Armed Forces Independence Payment
  • getting Carer鈥檚 Allowance
  • getting Carer Support Payment
  • responsible for a child under 5
  • a member of the armed forces away on operations, and is your child or step-child
  • your sub-tenant, lodger or boarder
  • a prisoner

If you pay rent on 2 homes

You can claim for rent on 2 homes at the same time if either of the following apply:

  • you have moved out because of fear of violence or abuse, are paying rent somewhere else, and intend to come back
  • you鈥檝e started renting a new home with a disabled family member but it has not been adapted to their needs yet

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 behind on your rent

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 behind on your rent, the money you get for housing can be sent directly to your landlord. This is called an alternative payment arrangement (APA).

You can apply for an APA through your work coach. Your landlord can also make the application.

You could apply for an advance or hardship payment from your main Universal Credit payment.

If the money you get for housing does not cover all your rent

The extra amount of money you get for housing will not always cover your rent. You might need to pay the rest of your rent from your Universal Credit payment or other income.

You might be able to get extra help from your local council with your rent and other housing costs, for example a rent deposit or moving costs. This is called a 鈥�Discretionary Housing Payment鈥�.

To apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment, contact your local council.

3. Renting from the local authority or housing association

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 eligible for Universal Credit you can get help paying your rent and some service charges.

You usually get the extra amount for housing in your Universal Credit payment and have to pay it to your landlord.

You can also get help with your bills from your main Universal Credit payment

If you live in a shared ownership property, you could get Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) as well.

You might also be able to get a Council Tax Reduction.

Paying service charges

Universal Credit can help you pay for some service charges, including:

  • using shared facilities, such as rubbish collection or communal lifts
  • using essential items in your home, such as domestic appliances
  • window cleaning of upper floors

If you live with someone who is 21 or older and is not your partner

The amount of money you get for housing will usually be reduced if you live with someone who is aged 21 or older and not your partner.

The amount will not be reduced if 测辞耻鈥檙别 any of the following:

  • getting the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) at the middle or highest rate
  • getting the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • getting Attendance Allowance
  • getting Armed Forces Independence Payment
  • registered as blind

It also will not be reduced if the person aged 21 or older is any of the following:

  • getting Pension Credit
  • getting the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) at the middle or highest rate
  • getting the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • getting Attendance Allowance
  • getting Armed Forces Independence Payment
  • getting Carer鈥檚 Allowance
  • getting Carer Support Payment
  • responsible for a child under 5
  • a member of the armed forces away on operations, and is your child or step-child
  • your sub-tenant, lodger or boarder
  • a prisoner

If you pay rent on 2 homes

You can claim for rent on 2 homes at the same time if either of the following apply:

  • the housing authority has housed your family in 2 properties because your family is large
  • you have moved out because of fear of violence or abuse, are paying rent somewhere else, and intend to come back
  • you鈥檝e started renting a new home with a disabled family member but it has not been adapted to their needs yet

If you have more rooms than your household needs

The amount of money you get for housing can be reduced if you have more rooms than you need. This is called 鈥榬emoval of the spare room subsidy鈥�.

The amount will be reduced:

  • by 14% if you have 1 spare bedroom
  • by 25% if you have 2 or more spare bedrooms

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 behind on your rent

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 behind on your rent, the money you get for housing can be sent directly to your landlord. This is called an alternative payment arrangement (APA).

You can apply for an APA through your work coach or case manager. Your landlord can also apply.

If the money you get for housing does not cover all your rent

The extra amount of money you get for housing will not always cover your rent. You might need to pay the rest of your rent from your Universal Credit payment or other income.

You might be able to get extra help from your local council with your rent and other housing costs, for example a rent deposit or moving costs. This is called a 鈥�Discretionary Housing Payment鈥�.

To apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment, contact your local council.

4. Living in a property you own

You could get a Universal Credit payment to help you pay for service charges if all of the following apply:

Service charges include:

  • using shared facilities, such as rubbish collection or communal lifts
  • window cleaning of upper floors
  • repairs and maintenance

Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI)

You might be able to get Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) if you鈥檝e been on Universal Credit for 3 months in a row.

SMI is a loan that can help towards interest payments on:

  • your mortgage
  • loans you鈥檝e taken out for certain repairs and improvements to your home

If you qualify for an SMI loan, you can get help paying the interest on up to 拢200,000 of your loan or mortgage.

The amount you get is based on a set rate of interest on what鈥檚 left of your mortgage. It鈥檚 paid direct to your lender.

You鈥檒l need to repay your SMI loan back with interest when you sell or transfer ownership of your home (unless 测辞耻鈥檙别 moving the loan to another property).

Help with service charges

You might be able to get help paying for your service charge if you own a leasehold property and have been on Universal Credit for 9 months.

You cannot get help with service charges if you get an income from:

  • your job if 测辞耻鈥檙别 employed or self-employed
  • a tax refund
  • Statutory Sick Pay
  • Statutory Maternity Pay
  • Statutory Paternity Pay
  • Statutory Adoption Pay
  • Statutory Shared Parental Pay

5. How to claim

If you already get Universal Credit, apply for support with housing costs in your online account.

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 new to Universal Credit, apply for Universal Credit.

You can get help to apply for Universal Credit. You鈥檒l need an email address and be able to verify your identity online.

If you do not have a permanent address

You can use the address of:

  • a hostel where you are staying
  • a family member or friend

You can use your local Jobcentre Plus address if you do not have any other address you can use.

If you do not have a bank account

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 not able to open a bank, building society or credit union account, call the Universal Credit helpline or go to a Jobcentre Plus to ask about other ways of being paid.

After you鈥檝e applied

If 测辞耻鈥檙别 renting

Your landlord will be sent a housing costs verification (HCV) form. Once they鈥檝e completed it and sent it back, it will be checked against your claim and uploaded to your online account.

Attending an interview

Depending on your circumstances, you might have to attend an interview at your local Jobcentre Plus. This will usually be within 7 days.

You鈥檒l be told if you need to make an appointment and what documents to take with you. You might be asked to bring evidence, for example:

  • a current tenancy agreement, rent statement or rent book
  • a signed letter from your landlord (saying that you live there, pay rent and are living there legally)
  • details of service charges 测辞耻鈥檙别 responsible for
  • a current mortgage agreement, mortgage statement or bank statement showing mortgage payments
  • details of any loan agreements secured on your property

You鈥檒l be assigned a work coach at the interview. Tell your work coach about any issues that affect you, for example if 测辞耻鈥檙别 homeless, or have an addiction or mental health problem. You might get extra help and support.

If you鈥檝e moved from Housing Benefit

Your Housing Benefit will continue for 2 weeks after your Universal Credit claim is approved. It will be paid directly to you. You鈥檒l need to pay rent to your landlord.

When your claim is approved, you may be asked if you want your money for housing to be paid straight to your landlord - for example if 测辞耻鈥檙别 in rent arrears. Your landlord will be notified if you choose this.

You do not need to tell your local authority that 测辞耻鈥檙别 moving to Universal Credit.

You can apply for an advance if you need to cover your costs while you wait.

After you鈥檝e made a claim

You鈥檒l get an estimated payment date in your online account within 3 weeks of making a claim.

You can ask questions about your claim in your online journal.