If you claim Universal Credit please complete the ‘Confirm your Housing Costs’ now on your journal with your new rent and the date of your increase. You will need to update your rent and any eligible service charges to make sure you receive the correct help you may be entitled to.
Universal Credit Eligible service charges are communal related charges such as General Service Charges.
Universal Credit Ineligible service charges are personal charges such as; heating and hot water, water, intensive housing management, gardening charges, alarm charges, property insurance charges.
You can find more information about service charges here.
If you manage your claim online, go to your ‘To Do’ list and click ‘Confirm your housing costs’.
For customers who don’t have a journal because they are unable to manage an online claim, you can call UC on 0800 328 5644.
If you don’t currently claim Universal Credit but are now struggling with cost of living increases we have lots of information and advice here.
Lots of customers who thought they wouldn’t qualify are finding they are entitled to extra financial support. Give our Benefits Calculator a go to check your current situation. If you need any help to do this, contact our Welfare team via email, call us on 0800 169 2888, use the live chat function on our site, or send a message through our customer portal.
IMPORTANT – If you are currently in receipt of Tax Credits, Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseekers Allowance, Income Support or Housing Benefit, you will be contacted by the DWP at some time over the next 2 years and advised that you will have to make a claim for Universal Credit.
You can choose to apply ahead of this and may be better off on Universal Credit, but it is really important that you get advice before making the switch as some people will be worse off and you cannot go back. The DWP have funded the CAB to provide specialist advisers to help with this.
