Welfare Reform

If you get benefits, things could soon be changing for you.

The Welfare Reform Act – introduced by the UK Government – will soon see changes to the way people receive benefits and the amount they get.

It’s going to be a big change for many people so, the sooner you find out how this affects you, the better prepared you will be.

Bedroom Tax

If you are a MTHA tenant and you have one or more ‘spare’ bedrooms you may be affected by these changes from April 2013.  Under the new rules if you have more bedrooms than the UK Government says you need, you will lose part of your housing benefit.

If you have one ‘spare’ bedroom your housing benefit will be cut by 14 per cent of your full weekly rent. If you have two or more spare bedrooms, you will lose 25 per cent.

If your benefit is cut, you will have to pay MTHA the difference between your housing benefit and your rent.  You will have to make arrangements before April 2013 to pay the difference to MTHA.

Contact us on 01685 352830 and we’ll help you make the arrangements.  If you are worried about being able to afford to pay your rent from April 2013, you should ask for advice now.

Talk to MTHA about the options available to you by ringing 01685 352830.

Universal Credit

From October 2013, the UK Government will start bringing in a new system under which all your benefits will be paid into your bank account in one lump sum once a month.

The name of the new monthly payment is Universal Credit. It will replace a number of current benefits and tax credits. These include income-based job seeker’s allowance, housing benefit, income related employment and support allowance, child tax credit and working tax credit.

At the moment, most tenants choose for their housing benefit to be paid straight to MTHA. Under Universal Credit, you will receive the money and will need to arrange to pay your rent to MTHA yourself.

If you don’t pay your rent you could lose your home, so talk to us now about the best way for you to pay your rent by ringing 01685 352830.