AQW 9730/22-27
Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford
Tabled Date: 09/04/2024
Answered On Date: 30/04/2024
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities, pursuant to AQW 9492/22-27, to detail, during the five week wait for Universal Credit, (i) how many weeks those claimants in receipt of Housing Benefit will not receive this benefit to cover their rent; and (ii) the average rental debt for people living in (a) a Housing Executive property; (b) a housing association property; and (c) private landlord property.
Answer:
how many weeks those claimants in receipt of Housing Benefit will not receive this benefit to cover their rent; When a person makes a claim for Universal Credit, this will result in their Housing Benefit award ending, effective from the previous day. All such claimants will, however, receive an additional two weeks ‘run on’ of the rent element of Housing Benefit as part of the stopping Housing Benefit process (this payment excludes rates). Universal Credit will be paid from the date that Housing Benefit stops but is paid on a different arrears cycle. Although claimants will receive the relevant benefit to cover rent costs throughout the transition from Housing Benefit to Universal Credit the first Universal Credit payment will be made around five weeks after a claim is made (around three weeks after the two weeks ‘run on’ is paid). Customers who are entitled to Universal Credit may be able to claim extra financial support to help while waiting on their payment to help with essential costs. This includes: Applying for a Universal Credit Contingency Fund grant Applying for an Advance loan Applying for Discretionary Support. the average rental debt for people living in (a) a Housing Executive property. When a Housing Executive tenant in receipt of Housing Benefit makes a claim for Universal Credit (UC) the rent account will only accrue a technical arrear due to the fact UC and Rate Rebate for UC pay in arrears. The Housing Executive does not take action to recover technical debt. If a tenant later moves off UC, any debt left outstanding after their final UC payment is reclassified as a recoverable arrear. The technical debt accrued in a case where a tenant moves to UC from Housing Benefit is usually relatively small, between the equivalent of approximately 1 to 3 weeks rental element (i.e. around £80 to £240). the average rental debt for people living in (b) a Housing Association property. The Department does not hold information on the average rental debt for people living in a housing association property. the average rental debt for people living in (c) a private landlord property. The Department does not hold information on the average rental debt for people living in a private landlord property.
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