What period does UC housing element payment cover??

LuxFero

Is there a way to tell what rent period a Universal Credit housing element payment is to cover?

I’m trying to help a friend who has difficulty processing information make sense of hers – her rent is 650, under the Local Housing Allowance for area, due 1st of month. She uploaded tenancy forms 1st August, then had to go in with more proof. 

On usual UC pay day 25th September she got a payment of 617.50 - she asked on that day what period that figure is for – August? Split between 1st August and 1st September? Since then 1st October has come and gone, she’s still heard nothing and could now be in arrears for two rent payments? Is there another way to find out other than wait for them to reply to her? 

Thank you 

poppy123456

UC is paid 1 month in arrears. If her UC payment is 25th of every month then her UC assessment periods are 19th to 18th of every month. Entitlement to UC is based on the last day of your assessment period, which for her will be 18th of the month. For example, her September payment will be for the period 19th Aug to 18th September. Each month will be the same period. Payment for that period will be 25th of each month.

Her rent maybe £650 but this doesn't mean she'll be entitled to the whole of that rent. LHA applies to privately renting only and how much you're entitled to will depend on how many bedrooms you're entitled to. LHA very often doesn't cover the whole of the rent, mostly there's a shortfall, which you have to pay yourself.

That £617.50 payment, can you please tell me exactly what elements that included.

Is she single or living with a partner? Is there any dependant children on the claim?

If single is she under 35? If under 35 does she claim either daily living PIP, mid/high rate care DLA or daily living adult disability payment?

Sorry for all the questions but more information is needed before i can advise further.

LuxFero

Hi Poppy, thank you for your help on this

I don't know what elements the £617.50 included - she said it's just for housing as because she works 15 hours and earns £700 a month she's not entitled to any actual non-housing Universal Credit. 
She is is single, age 36, no children, lodger in a private house but this is under threat if her rent continues to be behind.

She's not getting any PIP or disability but has dyslexia and musco-skeletal problems, being assessed for ADHD in addition to her BPD/EUPD mental health for which she is on a lot of medication and cannot work full time without worsening her health. But Universal Credit do not know this - I wonder if it would be helpful to disclose this i.e would she get more UC/more housing element/less pressure to get full-time work? I’m not clear if her condition counts as a disability. If it is worthwhile her telling them, how does she go about doing this? (sorry to ask you more - and thanks again) 

LuxFero

To clarify - she's unclear about whether that £617.50 is for one month (August?) or whether it's £308.75 for August, £308.75 for September etc 
Sorry to be an ignoramus, I'm only used to legacy benefits so not clear how UC works (yet) but trying to shed some light from the little I know and I know this is a great place to ask 

poppy123456

I think there's a lack of understanding here on how UC works.

LuxFero said:

she said it's just for housing as because she works 15 hours and earns £700 a month she's not entitled to any actual non-housing Universal Credit. 

That's not correct. On her statement it will tell her all the elements that are included. This will make up her maximum UC entitlement. As a single person her statement should include standard allowance (over 25) £368.74 + housing element. Please ask her to check her statement. It will also show her earnings as well as the deductions for those earnings. Then it will show how much will be paid into her bank.

Any earnings she receives during her assessment periods will reduce her UC by 55%, which means 55p deduction in UC for every £1 of earnings she receives. 

For earnings of £700 the calculation for deductions would be as follows... £700 x 0.55 = £385 so this amount will be deducted from her maximum UC entitlement. The deductions will reduce the whole amount and not just parts of it. In my opinion, her UC payment seems about right.

With the deductions of £385 i would expect her maximum UC entitlement to be about £1,000 or a small amount over this.

This means she will have her UC payment plus her earnings so a total monthly amount of £1,315.50ish.

She will need to make up the shortfall for her rent from her earnings.

With regards to her health condition providing her earnings are not more than 16xNMW per week then she can report her health condition and provide a fit note within 7 days of that. This will mean she will be referred for a work capability assessment. If found to have LCWRA she will be entitled to an extra £390.06/month. Full details here. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-if-you-have-a-disability-or-health-condition-quick-guide/universal-credit-if-you-have-a-disability-or-health-condition

If she's found to have either LCW or LCWRA she will also have the work allowance. This means she can receive £379/month of earnings before the 55% deductions apply.

poppy123456

LuxFero said:

To clarify - she's unclear about whether that £617.50 is for one month (August?) or whether it's £308.75 for August, £308.75 for September etc 
Sorry to be an ignoramus, I'm only used to legacy benefits so not clear how UC works (yet) but trying to shed some light from the little I know and I know this is a great place to ask 

Sorry i didn't see this when i commented. That £617.50 is for 1 month because UC is paid 1 month in arrears. The September payment will be for the period 19th August to 18th September, which is 1 month.

Her next payment will be for the period 19th Sept to 18th October and payment will be 25th October.

What she's not doing is taking into consideration she also has her earnings of £700 per month. UC can't pay more than what she's entitled to for her circumstances. She needs to put her UC payment for her rent and top up the shortfall with her earnings. She will then have the remainder of her earnings for the month ahead for the rest of her living expences.

LuxFero

Thank you Poppy this is so very helpful - I will pass this on to her. 
Thanks again for your time, help and knowledge!

poppy123456

You're welcome. If you have any further questions please do ask.