UC is paid in 52 weeks – 53 Mondays in 2019/20!

The National Housing Federation (NHF) is currently speaking to Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) over the issue.

Many social landlords collect rent every Monday. In 2019/20 there will be 53 Mondays.

The Universal Credit system will continue to account for 52 rent weeks over the year only, meaning that thousands of social tenants across the UK who pay their rent weekly will be one week short and face rent arrears.

The 53-week phenomenon last occurred in 2013/14. Then, fewer than 20,000 people were claiming Universal Credit but now there are more than 1.5 million. Now about 290,000 are paying their rent through UC!