Universal Credit update and direct payment

Universal Credit update and direct payment

8:28 AM, 22nd March 2018, About 6 years ago 29

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If you wish for your tenants Housing Cost Element (Rent) to be paid direct to you, as a Landlord you can make a request for a Managed Payment (APA) by completing a UC47 form, this form can be found on Gov.uk.

This form has recently been updated on 21/03/18 and the wording to support the Creditor Reference Number and the Tenant Reference Number has been amended to make it clearer for landlords to provide the necessary information needed to improve the APA process.

In addition the process and UC47 have been updated to ensure that the correct form is completed and directed to the right Service Centre for processing.

Further information about the APA process can be found in section 8 of the Universal Credit and rented housing: guide for landlords

We recently informed you on the updates of Transition to Universal Credit from Housing Benefit  which was announced in the Autumn budget, this has now been confirmed and as

of 11 April 2018 a two week Transition to Universal Credit Housing Payment will be awarded to Housing Benefit (HB) claimants who naturally migrate to Universal Credit (UC) by awarding an additional two weeks HB entitlement from the start date of the UC claim.

Universal Credit is a passported benefit for Housing Benefit, the Transition to Universal Credit Housing Payment will be two weeks of Housing Benefit entitlement based on the claimant’s new circumstances of receiving Universal Credit. The landlord will receive the claimants eligible rent minus any deductions such as overpayment recovery or non-dependant deductions

for the two week payment this payment will be administered by Local Authorities.

This payment will not require any additional intervention from the claimant (unless they have a change of circumstance such as moving address, in which case they would need to inform their local authority).

The Housing Benefit transition payment will be paid directly to the person usually receiving the payment, for example if the claimant is in receipt of  the Housing Benefit payment they will receive the transition payment to either credit their rent account, or to use for daily living expenses or to live off until they receive their  first Universal Credit Payment.

If the landlord is in receipt of the Housing Benefit payment and receives the transition payment it must be allocated to the tenants rent account to clear any assisting arrears or to put the account in Credit

If a change of address has prompted the new UC claim, the Transition to UC Housing payment will always be paid directly to the claimant.

For assistance on more complex cases on Universal Credit or Housing Benefit please contact us using the form below and we will assist you in resolving your issue.

Contact Sherrelle for offline Universal Credit advice

Sherrelle is an independent consultant and is recommended by Property118 for landlords who require professional advice and assistance in regards to dealing with Universal credit related matters


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Comments

TheMaluka

11:40 AM, 22nd March 2018, About 6 years ago

It is the lack of direct payment FROM THE OUTSET that is stopping me taking any new universal credit tenants, specifically those long term claimants who rely totally on benefits. Additionally I am gradually evicting those who transfer to UC because they inevitably get into serious arrears.
Presumably this is what the government wants? Fortunately there are plenty of working individuals seeking accommodation.
The galling consequence is that the tenants I reject are often housed in local hotels at great public expense, hotels which I cannot afford!

Robert M

13:41 PM, 22nd March 2018, About 6 years ago

Hi Sherelle

Could you provide us with a link to a new blank UC47 form (non-secure) please, as the Gov.uk website seems to insist on postcodes etc before it will let me get to a UC47 form! - I just want a blank one, for use at any postcode/address.

Mick Roberts

10:04 AM, 24th March 2018, About 6 years ago

I've said same before Rob.
On some bits of UC site, it needs YOUR NI number, well the claim ain't about me. Same when u ring for complaints, they need the Landlords NI number & then they don't do anything with the complaint, 'cause they can't match the NI number to a claim.
And u ask several people higher up, that says they din't know this was a problem. I say 'cause no one is ringing us back to deal with complaint, them on phone lines say they don't know what to do as they have no NI number. But must use persons complaining which is Landlord. Bonkers.

Robert M

10:39 AM, 24th March 2018, About 6 years ago

Hi Sherelle

I have recently obtained a "secure" email address, from ProtonMail, which will allow me to send fully encrypted emails. Any idea how I get Universal Credit to accept these as "secure" so that I can send the secure version of the UC47 forms, and/or so that I can send scanned copies of tenancy agreements, signed authorisations, etc, and have them accepted by UC processing teams?

Mick Roberts

15:42 PM, 25th March 2018, About 6 years ago

And why don't they ask you for your bank details on the UC47 form? Saves time. They proper nuts the UC DWP lot. Do everything the longest hardest way round.
Ask us & HB staff who have been getting it right for years.

CARIDON LANDLORD SOLUTIONS

11:10 AM, 27th March 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Robert Mellors at 22/03/2018 - 13:41
Dear Robert,
With the new version of the UC47 form the purpose of imputing the postcode and your type of email address is to direct you to the correct form as many landlords were sending the form to the wrong email address.
The following link may take you directly to the form:
https://directpayment.universal-credit.service.gov.uk/public/pdf/UC47_UNSECURE_FS.pdf
Any further questions please feel free to contact me.

CARIDON LANDLORD SOLUTIONS

11:32 AM, 27th March 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Robert Mellors at 24/03/2018 - 10:39
Dear Robert,
As far as I am aware DWP will only accept government email addresses as secure emails such as: .gsi, .gsx, .gcsx,.cjx, .cjsm, .gse.
I am not aware that they will accept ProtonMail however in order to provide you with a more definitive answer I have referred your question to DWP hierarchy, once I receive a response I will revert back to you.

Tobias Nightingale

14:21 PM, 28th March 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by CARIDON LANDLORD SOLUTIONS at 27/03/2018 - 11:10
Hi Caridon landlord solutions, I do not suppose you could give me a link to the form that is used when sending a request via the post? Or is that no longer available/valid?

CARIDON LANDLORD SOLUTIONS

19:05 PM, 28th March 2018, About 6 years ago

Dear Tobias,
DWP no longer accept the forms by post and are moving more over to an online system.

Tobias Nightingale

12:09 PM, 29th March 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by CARIDON LANDLORD SOLUTIONS at 28/03/2018 - 19:05
Hi Carion Landlord solutions,
I dont you could answer a few points? firstly as (at least for me) you can actually save the changes to the form form. I assume you print it out and fill in with a pen and then scan it completed? Or am I missing something/something wrong with my pc? Secondly am I correct i assume the tenants reference number is their national insurace number? What if you have not got the tenants date of birth are you stuffed regarding getting a alternative payment arrangement/managed payment then?Afterall tenants in situ prior to the right to rent legislation there is a fair chance landlords in such cases will not have it.

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