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Universal Credit: Housing

Asked by Mr Joshua ReynoldsLiberal DemocratDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled Answered 15 July 2026UIN 16352

The question

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.

Answered by Sir Stephen Timms

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.

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