| answer text |
<p>The Department has not made an assessment of this nature, as any change in rent
arrears is not solely attributed to Universal Credit.</p><p>The initial analytical
work we have carried out with a single housing provider suggests that many tenants
are arriving on Universal Credit with pre-existing rent arrears, supporting research
carried out by the National Federation of ALMOs which shows over three quarters of
their tenants come onto Universal Credit with pre-existing rent arrears. It also shows
that arrears tend to increase prior to making a claim for Universal Credit, and that
Universal Credit actually appears to be helping to clear arrears over time. We are
currently extending this analysis to include a number of housing providers. It will
be published when completed.</p><p>We have responded to concerns in this area by putting
a number of safeguards in place – 100 per cent advances repayable over 12 months,
increasing to 16 months in October 2021; a two-week transition to Universal Credit
Housing Payment; a new Help to Claim service; and Managed Payment to Landlord Arrangements,
which allow for payments direct to the landlord if the tenant is likely to have difficulty
in managing their rent payments, is unlikely to pay their rent or is in rent arrears
equivalent to two months.</p>
|
|
