1. For most working-age claimants Universal Credit (UC) is replacing a number of means-tested benefits including Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Income Support (IS), Tax Credits and Housing Benefit (HB).
2. UC (which includes a housing costs element) is administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). HB is administered by local authorities.
Topics
Migration onto UC
Natural migration onto UC
3. Currently, most new working age claimants apply to the DWP for UC, and existing claimants move onto UC if they have certain changes of circumstance such as becoming a couple with someone on UC. This is known as natural migration.
Managed migration onto UC
4. Where existing claimants have no change of circumstances, they will be moved over to UC in a phased process – known as managed migration. This is expected to run from 2019 to September 2024.1Letter dated 03/02/2020 from Therese Coffey MP to Stephen Timms MP regarding progress on Universal Credit claims. 1p. Corporate Author: Department for Work and Pensions
UC claimants and housing costs – the general rule
Normally UC claimants cannot claim HB
5. A working age claimant entitled to UC is not also entitled to HB in respect of the same period.2Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2014/ 1230 reg 5(1)(b)]
6. Since UC claimants lack entitlement to HB, it follows that they cannot make a claim for HB anywhere.3Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2014/1230 reg. 6(1),(8)
UC claimant in supported housing identified as specified accommodation can claim both UC and HB
7. But entitlement to UC does not preclude a claimant from entitlement to HB in respect of supported housing identified as specified accommodation by the benefit decision-maker.4Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2014/ 1230 reg 5(2)(a)] In other words, residents in such accommodation may be in receipt of both:
- UC (to cover the costs of day-to-day living) and
- HB (in relation to their housing costs).
8. Residents in specified accommodation must not be awarded a UC housing element to help them live in specified accommodation.5Universal Credit Regulations Sch 1 paras 3(h) and 3A Therefore, residents in specified accommodation who are entitled to UC to cover the costs of daily living apply for HB to obtain means-tested assistance with their housing costs.
Pathways for UC claimants in specified accommodation requiring help with housing costs
9. The following diagrams show the different administrative pathways that need to be taken by UC claimants in specified accommodation if they are to receive HB in respect of their housing costs.6Based on DWP Response to a Freedom of Information Request on 18 April 2018
10. The three pathways are for:
- Existing UC claimants in Social Rented Sector Housing,
- Existing UC claimants in Private Rented Sector Housing, and
- New UC claimants in Social or Private Rented Sector Housing.
11. Each pathway relates to UC claimants who are by definition of working age and are occupying specified accommodation. Therefore, it is important to remember that the following diagrams do not refer to “Social Rented Sector Housing” or “Private Rented Sector Housing” in the widest sense but, rather, more narrowly to sub-sets of specified accommodation.
Pathway 1: Existing UC claimants (Social Rented Sector Housing)
Pathway 2: Existing UC claimants (Private Rented Sector Housing)
Pathway 3: New UC claimants (Social and Private Rented Sector Housing)
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