Written Question·Department for Work and Pensions·UIN 16352
Universal Credit: Housing
Tabled: 6 July 2026
Answered: 15 July 2026
Question
Mr Joshua Reynolds
Liberal Democrat — Maidenhead
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has plans to introduce a mechanism enabling landlords to recover unpaid rent where Universal Credit housing costs have been paid to claimants but not passed on to the landlord.
Answer
Sir Stephen TimmsSuch a mechanism is already in place. If a customer has a rent arrears of two months or more, for the accommodation they are currently occupying, a landlord may request a deduction from the customer’s Universal Credit.