Universal Credit
Universal credit is a single monthly payment for people in or out of work, which merges together six working age benefits into a single monthly payment. This is paid directly into your bank account in arrears, with a minimum six week wait for the first payment.
The benefits included in Universal Credit are:
- Job Seekers Allowance
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Housing Benefit
The benefit cap amount varies depending on your personal circumstances. If you’re having problems paying your rent from your universal credit payment, you can ask for the rent to be paid directly to Squared as your landlord. This is known as an alternative payment arrangement.
The under occupation charge is the reduction of Housing Benefit entitlement if you have a ‘spare bedroom’. If you have one spare bedroom your benefit will be cut by 14% and if you have two or more spare bedrooms you will lose 25%.
Each person or couple within the household will have a bedroom. Children under 16 of the same gender are expected to share. Children under 10 are expected to share even if they are of different gender. Please be aware that this charge only affects people of working age and doesn’t apply to pensioners.
Housing benefit
Housing benefit usually makes payments every four weeks (in arrears). However there are some cases where housing benefit may make payments fortnightly.
If your housing benefit has stopped, please contact your local authority to find out why and what you need to do to restore your housing benefit.
Then, please contact housing services to advise us of this suspension or cancellation of housing benefit, as it can result in your rent account falling into arrears.
Our housing services team can support you and advise on any actions that need to be taken regarding your housing benefit and your rent account.
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