Universal Credit: Housing
Commons · Question 16352 · Tabled 6 Jul 2026 · Department for Work and Pensions · Official record
Answered 15 Jul 2026
Question
Asked by Joshua Reynolds
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has plans to introduce a mechanism enabling landlords to recover unpaid rent where Universal Credit housing costs have been paid to claimants but not passed on to the landlord.
Answer
Answered by Sir Stephen Timms, 15 Jul 2026
Such a mechanism is already in place. If a customer has a rent arrears of two months or more, for the accommodation they are currently occupying, a landlord may request a deduction from the customer’s Universal Credit.