Housing Association rent increases: What you should do if you receive Housing Benefit or Universal Credit housing element
If the rent for your Housing Association property is due to go up, and you receive Housing Benefit or Universal Credit housing element to help pay the rent, you may need to take action to make sure you receive the right amount of benefit to put towards the increased rent costs. Check the letter you’ve received from your Housing Association to see if it tells you what steps you need to take. Generally, what you do next depends on your situation:
- If you receive Housing Benefit, contact Hart District Council to let them know about the change in your rent payments. You can find their details here: Change of circumstances | Hart District Council
- If you receive Universal Credit housing element, you need to sign into your Universal Credit account to report a change of circumstances. Here is a link: Universal Credit: Report a change of circumstances – GOV.UK .Alternatively, if you are a phone claimant you will need to ring the UC helpline and may need to take the letter to your local Job Centre.
Your Housing Association may automatically inform Hart District Council about the rent increase if you receive Housing Benefit, but it’s recommended that you check.