Transitional payment and Increased rent.

onlymeagain
onlymeagain Online Community Member Posts: 231 Empowering
in Universal Credit (UC)

In April our rent went up. We notified UC, however they didn't increase the amount of rent. In April they paid us too much due to not taking off all the Carer's Allowance. This was taken back from our May and June payment.
So last month we were expecting an increase, but the housings costs were still wrong.
They now appear to have got it correct but our payment this month is still lower than before. They say it is because the TP has gone down due to housing costs going up.

So, is this correct? If it is, our UC will become mostly housing costs with little left for living expenses. After rent is deducted we get just over £800 to pay all bills, food, fuel etc for the month. There are 4 of us living in the house.

Comments

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 6,743 Championing
    edited August 20

    Yes Transitional Protection gets eroded by a few things, one of which is any increase in existing elements.

    Your TP will reduce by the amount that Housing Element increased by.

    That's how TP was designed to work.

  • onlymeagain
    onlymeagain Online Community Member Posts: 231 Empowering

    So eventually all of our UC will be the housing element with nothing for bills etc? How can this even be legal?

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 6,743 Championing
    edited August 20

    No, only the Transitional Protection reduces not your other UC elements.

    Also there is a cap on how much Housing Element you can receive for your circumstances, whether renting privately or by social housing.

  • onlymeagain
    onlymeagain Online Community Member Posts: 231 Empowering

    Ok. I'm still confused though as we are now receiving less money than before.
    Our full rent is paid as it is below the LHA at the moment.

  • onlymeagain
    onlymeagain Online Community Member Posts: 231 Empowering
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  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 6,743 Championing
    edited August 20

    Transitional Protection is added if your total UC award is lower than legacy benefits at the time of transfer. This erodes over time.

    Transitional Protection is an element paid under UC, just like standard allowance, housing etc.

    Not everyone gets TP in the first place.

    You are getting less money because your TP has reduced, as intended.

    Only your TP is designed to reduce over time. Not the other UC elements.

    Turn2Us has a great guide.

    https://www.turn2us.org.uk/get-support/information-for-your-situation/universal-credit-uc-transitional-protection/what-is-universal-credit-uc-transitional-protection

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