Category Rent Show all
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Update your Universal Credit journal account with your new rent and service charges
If you receive Universal Credit to help you pay your rent, please don’t forget to update your Universal Credit journal account on Monday 3 April 2023, with your new charges.
You will receive a ‘to-do’ action notification through your Universal Credit account (called the ‘journal’) that will be titled ‘Confirm Your Housing Costs’. Please log in and confirm your housing costs.
If you pay service charges, please ensure you let the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) know which charges are eligible for housing costs support and which charges are not eligible. You can find the details in the Service Charge and Rent Review booklet sent to you last month.
Please don’t submit the verification more than once as this will cause issues with your claim. If you have any questions, please contact Universal Credit through your online journal account, or through the Universal Credit Helpline on 0800 328 5644.
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Changes to your Rent and Service charges from April 2023
Every year we review our social housing rents in line with the rules set by the Government. Our final rent settlement has now been approved and we wanted to give you advance notice of this. Please note there are no changes to your rent at this stage. Any increases do not apply until April 2023 for the 2023/24 financial year.
This year our general needs rents will be increasing by 7% in line with the cap on social housing rent increases announced by Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of Exchequer in November 2022.
This will mean a lower than expected rent increase which under the Regulator of Social Housing’s Rent Standard were set to rise by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus 1% - a total of 11.1%.
As a not-for-profit organisation, we use the money to improve our homes, support our planned investment including for critical fire safety works and invest in local communities.
We know many shared owners have also been concerned about the impact of inflation on their rents. We are therefore pleased to confirm that we have agreed a voluntary settlement for shared owners which means we will also cap shared owners rent at 7%. This is lower than the expected increase which under the terms of most leases is linked to the November Retail Price Index (RPI), which was 14%.
Intermediate rents and housing for older people rents will also be capped at a 7% increase.
Rents for supported housing haven’t been capped by the Government in recognition of the extra costs incurred by landlords who deliver this type of specialist housing. They will therefore increase by last September’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus 1% - a total of 11.1%.
We know this may be disappointing news for our supported residents, but we are committed to delivering good quality extra services that our supported housing schemes receive. Please do talk to us if you have any questions or concerns.
Our market rents will increase by Consumer Price Index plus 1% - 11.1%
The rent and service charge booklets detailing your individual charges will be sent out to you at the end of February 2023 with the new charges due from April 2023.
In addition, we have reviewed service charges for the coming year and have worked hard to ensure value for money for all the services that we offer. Unfortunately, inflation is considerably higher than it has been in previous years and our costs, including utility costs, have increased in line with the position nationally.
If you have difficulties paying your rent or service charge, please call us on 0300 123 966 or email us as soon as you can so we can work with you to find a solution. We can also signpost you to other experts and sources of advice.
If your Housing Benefit is paid direct to us, we’ll confirm your new charges with the local authority Housing Benefit Office.
If your Housing Benefit or Universal Credit is paid direct to you, it’s your responsibility to make sure Housing Benefit, or for Universal Credit, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), know your new charges and make any relevant changes.
Please remember, if you’re on Universal Credit do not update your claim until 4 April 2023 as it could cause issues with your claim.
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Cap on social housing rent increases for tenants
We know many of our residents are concerned about the increasing cost of living and maintaining their rent payments.
On Thursday 17 November 2022, Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer confirmed that following a consultation, the Government will introduce a 7% cap on social housing tenant rent increases from April 2023 for the 2023/24 financial year for all social housing landlords.
This will mean a lower than expected rent increase which under the Regulator of Social Housing’s Rent Standard were set to rise by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus 1%.
Please note there will be no changes to your rent at this time. The changes will take effect from 1 April next year, 2023 and you will receive full details in the rent review notice that will be issued in February 2023.
As a not-for-profit organisation, we use the money to improve our homes, support our planned investment in critical fire safety works and invest in local communities.
We know too that shared owners are also concerned about rent increases next year. We have been working with the National Housing Federation and other Registered Providers looking at what options are available to the housing sector and shared owners at this difficult time. We are pleased to confirm that we have now agreed a voluntary settlement for shared owners which means we will also cap shared owners rent at 7%. This is lower than the expected increase which under the terms of most leases is linked to the Retail Price Index (RPI).
We will write to all residents and provide you with a booklet detailing your individual charges in February 2023.
We know the rent increase may present another financial challenge for many of you, but we have a friendly and dedicated team of Welfare Benefits Advisors who can provide support and advice. We have also put together tips and resources to help you if you’re struggling to meet the rising costs of running your home.
If you have difficulties paying your rent or service charge, please call us on 0300 123 9966 or email us as soon as you can so we can work with you to find a solution. We can also signpost you to other experts and sources of advice.
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Reminder – Rent texting is live
We want to help you keep on top of your rent payments so if you miss a payment, we’ll send you a text reminder to make sure you don’t fall behind.
If you need any help or support from our Welfare Benefit Advisors, please contact us on 0300 123 9966 to speak to a member of the team.If you need to make any changes to your direct debit mandate, please call 0300 123 9966 and your account advisor can do it for you over the phone.
Your rent account can be viewed on your MyOneHousing account. If you need to update your contact details, please log in here.
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Update your Universal Credit journal account with your new rent and service charges
If you receive Universal Credit to help you pay your rent, please don’t forget to update your Universal Credit journal account on Friday 1 April if you pay monthly or Monday 4 April 2022 if you pay weekly, with your new charges.
You will receive a ‘to-do’ action notification through your Universal Credit account (called the ‘journal’) that will be titled ‘Confirm Your Housing Costs’. Please log in and confirm your housing costs.
If you pay service charges, please ensure you let the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) know which charges are eligible for housing costs support and which charges are not eligible. You can find the details in the Service Charge and Rent Review booklet sent to you last month.
Please don’t make the updates before April 2022 and don’t submit the verification more than once as this will cause issues with your claim. If you have any questions, please contact Universal Credit through your online journal account, or through the Universal Credit Helpline on 0800 328 5644.
