Landlords in the universal credit pathfinder areas are complaining of poor
communication from the Department for Work and Pensions.
The DWP is trialling its flagship welfare reform - under which benefits will
be merged into a single payment made direct to households - in four areas in the
north west of England.The policy has been trialled for new claimants with simple claims in Tameside since April and in Wigan, Warrington and Oldham since July. The results have not been released.
Several landlords in the pathfinder areas have voiced concerns that they have found communication with the DWP difficult and have had problems persuading the department to switch the housing costs part of universal credit for tenants in arrears to the landlord.
Peter Fitzhenry, director of housing management at 8,700-home Golden Gates Housing Trust in Warrington, said the association is aware that 12 of its tenants are claiming universal credit.
He said of these, the association has made six requests for ‘switchbacks’ due to tenants being in rent arrears, of which three have been granted and three decisions have yet to be made. Mr Fitzhenry said GGHT has had difficulties speaking to the relevant people at the DWP and has had to wait for more than two weeks for decisions to be made.
He added there was no way of knowing if tenants are claiming universal credit, and may be at increased risk of arrears, or at risk of benefit being stopped. ‘There is no system in place,’ he said.
Tony Powell, executive director of neighbourhoods at New Charter Housing Trust in Tameside, told a conference last month he is aware of 15 New Charter tenants claiming universal credit, and the landlord has requested six switchbacks. He said communication is ‘very poor’.
A spokesperson for the DWP said: ‘The pathfinders ran early to test many elements - so they do not reflect how universal credit will be in practice.’
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