Universal Credit always converts weekly amounts to monthly sums using 52 weeks. The issue of there being 53 rent charging days in a year is relevant only for Universal Credit (UC) claimants who have their rent charged on a weekly basis and have 53 charging periods in a calendar year.<\/p>
<\/p>
UC claimants in the Social Rented Sector are typically charged rent weekly every Monday and so in a typical year their 12 monthly UC payments will align with the 52 charging periods. Every six years, or five if including a leap year, they will have 53 charging periods. In 2024 there will be 53 of these periods with the 53rd rent payment occurring on the final day of the calendar year. 53 charging periods will not apply in all UC claims and some claimants will not have a 53 charging period year during the life of their benefit claim.<\/p>
We have considered alternative options for those with weekly tenancies, but each have their own limitations and disadvantages for claimants. The matter occurs because weekly charging periods can never be accurately aligned with monthly periods. Tenants of social housing providers are used to managing varying outgoings every month depending on whether four or five rent payments are due \u2013 not just during a year in which there are 53 charging periods.<\/p>
Discretionary Housing Payments 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. Since 2011, the government has provided nearly £1.7 billion in Discretionary Housing Payments to local authorities.<\/p>
We do not have forecasts for this group for 2024. The most recent data from DWP\u2019s statistical release platform Stat-Xplore<\/em> is for August 2023 which shows that there were 1,664,104 Social Rented Sector households receiving housing support through UC, of which the department\u2019s analysts estimate that approximately 1.4 million (85%) were charged weekly.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4513", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mims Davies"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the (a) financial and (b) practical implications for Universal Credit claimants of 53 charging days for rent in 2024.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/163", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/748258", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/748258/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The current cholera outbreak in Yemen has been declared by the UN as the worst in the world. Since the start of the outbreak in April, over 250,000 cholera cases have been recorded with more than 1,600 deaths. Children make up 46% of the cases, which are still increasing at a rate of 6,500 a day.<\/p> In response, the UK has increased our funding for Yemen to £139 million for 2017/18. This includes support to tackle the underlying causes of cholera by helping provide emergency food, nutrition, health, water and sanitation, as well as supporting cholera prevention and providing medical supplies and treatment for those affected. In addition, the UK is helping to fund one million lifesaving cholera vaccines through GAVI, the Global Vaccine Alliance.<\/p> The UK is the second largest donor to the UN\u2019s Yemen appeal, and continues active lobbying for a political solution as well for others in the international community to step up co-ordinated action and funding.<\/p>"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support the Government is providing to help tackle cholera outbreaks in Yemen.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/381580", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/381580/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Data on the number and proportion of DLA reassessment claimants who have (a) appealed and (b) successfully appealed a negative decision on their Personal Independence Payment application is not available.<\/p> <\/p> National GB figures on the numbers and outcomes of DLA and PIP appeals can be found at:<\/p> <\/p>