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Universal Credit: Council Tax

Asked by Jess AsatoLabourDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled Answered 15 January 2025UIN 22803

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of an application for Universal Credit automatically triggering a claim for Council Tax Support.

Answered by Sir Stephen Timms

Council Tax Support is administered by the Local Authority and is not a DWP benefit, therefore before we have determined entitlement to Universal credit, it is not appropriate for the department to trigger a claim for Council Tax Support automatically. A significant number of UC claims do not have an entitlement so notifying Councils before entitlement is established would present a number of risks to Councils.

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