Housing Solicitors

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced that from 13 February, it will share data about social housing tenants with social housing landlords to make Universal Credit simpler to administrate.

The DWP says that 99% of landlords supported the change after a consultation. Currently tenants have to advise their landlord of any change in their benefit status and whether they have be switched from Housing Benefit to Universal Credit, which is currently being rolled out across the country.

Under Universal Credit, payment for rent will be paid directly to the tenant, who then has to ay their landlord directly.

Previously, under Housing Benefit, the benefit payments to cover housing costs were paid directly to a claimant’s landlord.

The sharing of data will help prepare both tenants and their landlords for the switch to Universal Credit – especially in cases where a tenant might be in debt and not be able to afford rental payments.

Landlords in the private sector will not be included in the change, however.
Social landlords – such as housing associations – provide different types of support to social housing tenants, whereas private sector landlords do not.

Social housing publisher 24Dash.com reports that the National Housing Federation (NHF) is calling for Jobcentre Plus to offer more support – such as help with budgeting – to social housing tenants.

Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of housing solicitors and can advise social housing tenants, council tenants and rental tenants on wide range of housing issues, including:

• Disrepair of rented property
• Housing possession
• Landlord & tenant disputes
• Local Authority housing
• Nuisance neighbours
• Universal Credit (Housing Benefit)
• Unlawful or malicious eviction.

Duncan Lewis is also a leading firm of Legal Aid solicitors.

For expert legal advice on housing law, call Duncan Lewis housing solicitors on 020 7923 4020.