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Housing Element On UC

Kiki23

Hi Scope members,

I wanted to ask for some advice please,

I have just migrated over to UC (under managed migration) from my legacy benefits (ESA CB & IR with SDP & EDP)

I know I will receive my last ESA payment in the next 2 weeks before it then turning in to NS ESA

Im also aware that my Housing Benefit will be paid for the next 2 weeks before ending, but my question is, when do UC Start paying my Housing Element from. I applied for UC on the 10th Of November so would like to know what date will UC start paying my Housing Element from??

I get so confused with all this paid in arrears stuff so just wanted someone to help me understand things better

P.s I am not in any rent arrears, however once my HB stops in a few weeks Im just confused as to what date my HE payment will start from as ive heard that there will be a 3 week gap of Housing Element that wont be paid……

Thank you so much for reading

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OverlyAnxious

Hi,

Housing Element will be paid from 10th November when you applied for UC. (Actual payment mid December).

If there is any crossover of Housing Element with Housing Benefit then UC will deduct that amount.

(Except for the 2 week run-on, that money is not counted as part of the crossover and doesn't get deducted).

Kiki23

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1082348#Comment_1082348

Thank you so much for your swift response @OverlyAnxious

When you say the 2 week run on, do you mean the ESA 2 week run on???

The 2 week Housing Benefit Run on?

Also, from what I understand by your message, I should not lose out on any weeks regarding my rent??? So If UC HE Pay me from 10th November, will that be for the previous month rent??? Like I said I dont understand when they talk of paying things in arrears. My brain doesn't understand

OverlyAnxious

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1082351#Comment_1082351

I did mean the 2 week Housing Benefit run-on. But the same applies to the ESA run-on as well.

If there is a crossover period where you get both ESA and UC paid during the migration, the extra amount of ESA will be deducted from UC. So you won't be any worse off, but won't be any better off either.

Correct, you don't lose any weeks of rent. The only difference is that you might have to wait a bit longer for the rent payment depending on how soon you claimed after a Housing Benefit payment. If you rent privately then this shouldn't make any difference. But if you rent from a Housing Association or similar then it can put you into rent arrears due to the way HE is paid monthly compared to the 4-weekly payment of the old HB. Most Housing Associations understand and accept this as so many people have migrated now.

OverlyAnxious

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1082351#Comment_1082351

Payment in arrears sounds complicated but isn't so bad in reality.

Your first payment will be in the middle of December. That payment covers the month from 10th November to 9th December.

Then you'll get the next payment in mid January, that covers from 10th December to 9th January. And so on for every month afterwards…

Kimi87

Your first UC payment will include Housing Element from the date you applied 10th November.

You won't actually receive the money until mid December.

That will be for Housing Element November/December.

Kiki23

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1082352#Comment_1082352

You have been super helpful and put my mind at ease. Also, my last HB was 28th October. If I hadnt migrated yesterday, I would have received another 4 week payment on 18 November which would have been sent straight to my Housing association…Will my migration cause me going in to arrears now????

OverlyAnxious

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1082355#Comment_1082355

You're welcome. Yes, your Housing Element payment will be at least a couple of weeks later than the Housing Benefit payment would have been. That could put your Housing account into arrears. I would recommend contacting your Housing Association just to let them know that you are migrating. It shouldn't be a problem for them. 🙂

Kiki23

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1082358#Comment_1082358

Sorry for another question, so am I correct in thinking my first Housing element payment in December will be of a higher amount than the ones to be paid in January because of the 3 weeks no Housing payment was covered for???

Kimi87

It takes five weeks for the first payment to get the monthly payment cycle established.

Each payment is for the previous calender month (30 days).

If your circumstances remain the same then your payment will be the same each month.

So no your December payment won't be higher than January.

Kiki23

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1082492#Comment_1082492

But If my first HE payment is on the 16 of December (thats what message I received in my Journal) and my payment starts from Nov 11th, isnt that 5 weeks of housing costs that need to be accounted for. Sorry if I haven't explained this very well Kimmi

Kimi87

I understand what you are saying.

Each UC payment is based on your circumstances for the previous calender month of 30 days. Known as the Assessment Period.

Your payment on 16th December will be for November 11- December 10

Your payment on January 16 will be for December 11- January 10

(please allow a day or so margin of error, but you get the general idea).

Kiki23

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1082494#Comment_1082494

Ahhhhh Kimmy thank you so much. Due to my autism I struggle understanding some things at times but you have now explained things very well and clear. So even though I will receive a payment on Dec 16th for my HE It will ONLY be for November 10th up until till 11 December? I was calculating that I was to receive payment for HE from 11 November up until 16th December.

Actually, I think I was even getting confused about the 2 weeks after my HB will be stopped as these payments are given by HB in arrears so I assumed they would cover the rent for some time in October. Thats why I was confused and thinking about who would pay for those 2 last weeks in October…

Anyway its time for me to shut up now but really want to thank you all so much for your help and time and please do forgive me if some of my questions were confusing. My brain is frazzled now and I will only really understand this all once the payments get going and its there is black and white lol