Universal-Credit-Guide-for-Private-Landlords - Manual / Resource - Page 19
Budgeting Support
Q. What support is in place to help tenants
with budgeting?
A number of safeguards are in place to
support tenants and help them manage
their money when they claim UC. Personal
Budgeting support is offered to claimants
when they first move onto UC. The
claimants work coach will talk to them
about how they feel they will manage with
the change to a monthly payment. The
support they offer can be general money
advice, and raising awareness of online
tools, or it can be bespoke, tailored advice
that is delivered by Citizens Advice.
If tenants are worried about how they will
manage on a monthly basis, the Money
Advice Service has a wealth of information
available online. Visit
www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/ and look
for budgeting and money management.
The Personal Budgeting Support delivered
by Citizens Advice can be arranged via a
discussion with the claimants work coach
as mentioned above, but can also be
initiated via a self referral route. The
tenant can visit Citizens Advice to arrange
a budgeting support session.
Alternative Payment Arrangements (APA’s)
are available in some circumstances for
claimants who genuinely can’t manage
their monthly payment. This might mean
having a managed payment made to their
landlord, a split payment, or a more
frequent payment. Information is available
online. Visit GOV.uk and look for ‘Personal
Budgeting Support and Alternative
Payment Arrangements”.
19
Universal Credit/Information for Landlords
April 2018
Q. What budgeting support is available
from DWP and how do claimants access
this?
Personal Budgeting Support can be offered
to anyone claiming UC, at any stage in their
UC claim.
Many claimants will be able to help
themselves through online budgeting
support services that are already available,
but DWP will help any claimants who have
a clear need for more intensive support.
Suffolk Coastal and Waveney District
Councils with the Citizens Advice are
working with DWP to offer this support for
anybody who needs it.
If you would like to raise awareness of the
support available with your tenants, we
have created a useful leaflet, included in
this pack on page 29. If you would like a
separate PDF of the leaflet for use, we can
send this to you via email. Please email a
request to
BenefitsLiaison.EastSuffolk@angliarevenue
s.gov.uk
Q. Can a claimant have their UC paid more
frequently than once a month?
More frequent payments (fortnightly) are
one of the APA options that will be
considered if a claimant is having difficulty
budgeting. The claimant should raise this
on their journal and speak with their work
coach. They should also be offered
Personal Budgeting Support.
For more information visit GOV.uk and look
for ‘Personal Budgeting Support and
Alternative Payment Arrangements”
www.gov.uk/universal-credit
DWP service centre 0800 328 5644