June 2018 Universal Credit Housing Payments

It provides local authority benefit staff with answers to frequently asked questions about the two week housing benefit transition payment for claimants that migrate to universal credit on or after 11 April 2018, including that -

Recovery of housing benefit overpayments can be made from the transition payment, and overpayments of housing benefit occurring in the two week transition period should be offset against the transition payment

 

If a transition payment is made and universal credit is backdated at a later date to before 11 April 2018, the claimant would cease to be entitled to the transition payment and it would be subject to recovery

 

There is no need for the local authority to wait for a universal credit claim to be awarded before paying a transition payment, as the payment is made regardless of the outcome of the universal credit claim and

 

Housing Benefit claims in respect of which local authorities receive stop notices (issued by Universal Credit to stop housing benefit from and including 11 April 2018 and which have a universal credit start date from 11 April 2018) attract the transition payment unless one of two exceptions apply - either the claimant is living in temporary or specified accommodation, or a housing benefit claimant is joining a universal credit claim as a new claimant partner.

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