Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 21 June 2018 to Question 154700 on 21 June 2018 on Social Rented Housing, what information her Department holds on universal credit claimants in rent arrears.

We do not hold individual information on claimants with rent arrears. However, we do have research which shows more broadly that people come onto Universal Credit with existing rent arrears.

From April 2018, those on Housing Benefit will receive an additional two weeks housing benefit when they start their UC claim. This helps to prevent rent arrears as claimants move to the new monthly payment cycle.

We know that arrears are usually temporary and the majority of claimants do succeed in paying their rent, managing their monthly payments and clearing their arrears over time.

We are currently carrying out further analysis of this issue with a number of housing providers, to investigate and understand the true level of rent arrears for their tenants, what is causing them and any impacts Universal Credit may be having. It will be published when completed.