Private Rented Housing

(asked on 24th October 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she will make an assessment of the potential merits of permitting the direct payment of housing costs to landlords prior to eight weeks of arrears being built up, by giving all tenants the option at the outset of their claim of having their housing costs paid directly to their landlord.


Answered by
Will Quince Portrait
Will Quince
This question was answered on 29th October 2019

Universal Credit payments are deliberately designed to mirror the world of work, where people take responsibility for budgeting their own income in order to be financially independent. In turn, this helps those not already working to prepare for moving back into employment. For claimants needing additional advice and support with personal budgeting, help is available from work coaches and case managers.

Alternative Payment Arrangements (APAs), such as a managed payment to landlord (MPTL), are available to enable the housing costs element to be paid directly to the landlord if the tenant is likely to have difficulty in managing their rent payments, or is in rent arrears. They can be requested by a claimant at any point during their claim. APAs will only be considered where a lack of financial capability poses a risk to the claimant, or their family, and the decision to implement one is assessed on a case by case basis.

Staff work closely with claimants and are trained to gauge a claimant’s financial needs at their initial interview, and throughout their claim, based on their personal circumstances.

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