Landlords can help tenants to get ready for Universal Credit by encouraging them to:

Landlords can help tenants to get ready for Universal Credit by encouraging them to:

go online and set up an e-mail account

open a bank account to receive Universal Credit payments

know how much their rent is (including rent free weeks) and who their landlord is setting up direct debits for housing costs read the Universal Credit and you guide

Universal Credit is designed to be claimed online. If tenants don’t have access to the internet or are not confident using a computer, their jobcentre can tell them about local services that can help.

From April 2019 Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland will provide a new Help to Claim service.

The Citizens Advice Help to Claim service offers tailored, practical support to help people make a Universal Credit claim and receive their first full payment on time.

It will be available nationally online, over the phone and face to face through local Citizens Advice services.

Universal Credit will usually be paid monthly in arrears into a single account, so setting up a direct debit or standing order may help your tenant manage their rent payments.

All claimants receive the Universal Credit and you guide when they make a Universal Credit claim to help support them through the changes. You can use this as a basis for conversations with tenants.