Highland Council Tenants - Are you missing out on money you are entitled to, or worried about paying your rent?

9th July 2020

Many Highland Council tenants may be missing out on help towards their rent from Universal Credit because they have not notified the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) of their annual rent increase which came into effect on the 30th March 2020.

Those tenants who have not yet reported their rent increase could be facing a shortfall in the help they receive towards their rent, putting them at risk of rent arrears.

We urge all of our tenants who receive Universal Credit who haven't reported their rent increase to act immediately and log on to their online journal and complete the section ‘Report any changes to your housing costs'.

You can also contact the UC Service Centre direct on for assistance with your Universal Credit claim.

If you have any concerns about paying your rent, particularly if you have been affected by the COVID 19 Pandemic please contact your Housing Officer straight away by calling 01349 886602. Our Housing Officers can provide you with advice and assistance if you are having any difficulties paying your rent or signpost you to the most appropriate help depending on your circumstances.

The Chair of The Highland Council's Housing and Property Committee Cllr Ben Thompson said: "We understand that many of our tenants may have been struggling over recent months as a result of the ongoing pandemic. We are here to offer help and support. Some tenants may have forgotten to report their rent increase due to the timing of the lockdown restrictions being imposed. Our Housing Officers are available to assist all of our tenants with any questions or concerns they may have. For those claiming benefits, particularly those who are having to make a benefit claim for the first time, the UC system can be complex, our staff are trained to help tenants with a wide range of tailored advice and support.

"We would advise any tenants facing financial hardship and struggling to pay their rent to contact us immediately on so that we can provide them with the support that they need."

When logging in to their UC journal to report an increase in their rent, tenants will need to know the following;

When did your housing costs change?

How much is your new rent?

How frequent is your rent?

How much are your service charges?

How frequent is your service charge?

We would urge all our tenants to have their annual rent increase letter to hand when they log into their UC journal.

Anyone unsure of any of these details or have service charges included in their rent should contact their Housing Officer to find out the correct information before they update their on-line Universal Credit journal.

For more information about Universal Credit, visit:

https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit