Housing element increase 2 year late, huge issue

Dsilka7147

Hi, I'll try to be as informative as I can. So I noticed on my statement that my housing element had risen by roughly £50. After checking I was told that my PiP (for which I was awarded from August 2020 to August 2022) resulted in me being paid the extra rate, however, I wasn't receiving this up until now. Upon my award I put in my journal instantly that I was receiving PiP, this was a year ago. 

After speaking to UC, I was ultimately told that a case manager would get in touch, and he just rang me. He admitted that they have only just known now that I am in receipt of PiP, and that it was an error and should have been put on the system. However, I've been told that to fix this and sort any backpay, I have to put in a change or circumstance to Aug 2020, upload my address details, tenancy and a bill as proof, then they'd contact my landlord and verify everything.

This doesn't seem right at all, why can't they just look at what they owe me and pay me? I did not have to upload anything else to get the extra housing element I'm now getting, it was just automatically applied. The whole thing screamed wrong and I've stopped my change of circumstance change half way through. I'm on a lodger's agreement and I don't even have utility bills. 

lee444

Hi, this is normal, I had the exact same thing happen, except they didn't contact landlord but I'm sure it's fine.
I had to redo my housing ect and then they backdated the amount owed. 

poppy123456

They only usually contact a landlord when renting from social houisng.

Dsilka7147

@Biblioklept I'm going to ring them tomorrow and find out exactly why as it really does sound a bit off, I'll update on this thread as to what they say! Thanks for the replies everyone.

calcotti

The reasons the housing element has gone up is because it was previously capped at the shared room rate but you are now, due to the PIP, eligible for the one bedroom rate.

It should be unnecessary to reverify the historic details because your past monthly statement presumably already show your rent (with the cap then applied). Logically, all they now have to do is apply the higher of the increased cap or the actual rent, whichever is lower.

Has your rent changed at all in the last two years and if so did you inform UC at the time?

Dsilka7147

@calcotti thanks for your reply. That mirrors my thoughts exactly. My rent has stayed the same always. The uncapped amount is now applying to my statement, but it's a question now of what I am backdated. I follow your thoughts that I don't understand why I have to reverify everything again and have my landlord rung. 

calcotti

I think you have two options
1) Do what they asked as a matter of expediency to get the matter resolved
2) Post a message querying what they have asked you to do. Point out that there has been no in your housing circumstances. You have previously verifying the rent and it has not changed. Your statements since August 2020 already show your correct rent. The only thing that has changed is which LHA rate applies given that the PIP award means the applicable rate is the one bedroom rate. The calculation needed is simply to recalculate the housing element with reference to the appropriate LHA.