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<p>Universal Credit is calculated and paid on monthly cycles to reflect the fact that
the vast majority of people receive their wages monthly. Many social landlords still
expect their tenants to pay rent on a weekly basis, a practice based upon a time when
both wages and benefits were paid weekly. The effect of this is that, roughly every
six years, there will be 53 payment days in a twelve-month period with the result
that, over the cycle, the average social sector tenant will receive approximately
35p a week less towards their rent. A key principle of Universal Credit is that it
simplifies the benefit system for working age claimants and re-assessing housing costs
to reflect the number of rent payments in any particular year would be complicated
and lead to confusion. As such, the Department has no plans to amend these regulations.</p>
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