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<p>Universal Credit is assessed and paid monthly, which reflects how the majority
of the UK workforce is paid and helps prepare households to budget on a monthly basis,
which will ease the transition into work. It also helps households to take advantage
of cheaper tariffs for essential costs such as utility bills.</p><p> </p><p>A Universal
Credit Change of Circumstances Advance can be made available to existing claimants
that experience a change of circumstance which results in a significant increase in
entitlement, where the claimant cannot wait until the end of the assessment period
to receive the increase.</p><p> </p><p>For those individuals who require additional
support, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available. DHPs can be paid to
those entitled to Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit who face
a shortfall in meeting their housing costs. The payments are awarded at the discretion
of the Local Authority and can provide help with on-going housing costs, or one-off
expenses such as rent in advance, deposits or removal costs.</p><p> </p><p>We have
provided £180m in DHP funding to local authorities to support vulnerable claimants
with housing costs in the private and social rented sector in England and Wales for
2020/21. This includes an extra £40m as announced last year at the spending round.</p><p>
</p><p> </p>
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