universal credit made things difficult?

[sparkleshin]

Universal credit pay some of the rent and I make up the difference. I get 4 weeks rent free a year.
They have reduced the monthly payment to reflect the 4 weeks rent free? Why can't they just pay what it costs and then not pay anything when the rent is free? Why are they making my life difficult to find the difference each month?

Because then they will be contributing more, as you need to pay some towards your rent but will be paying nothing for the 4 weeks too. It’s just evening it out.

It's just calculated by averaging out. When you had the four weeks rent free they would be relying on you to report that you don't have any rent costs or reduced rent costs during that month. It's easier for them if you declare rent free months when you make the claim and then they average it out and you don't get overpaid in the months you pay less rent.

There is less admin this way. When are the rent free weeks?

Is it paid directly to your landlord or to you?

After those weeks you will in in credit but 4 weeks so you won't have to pay the extra as it will just reduce the amount you are in credit by.

Why don’t you just contact your LL so you pay rent monthly?

Rent free weeks are a feature of some Social Housing tenancies.

Usually, though by n means invariably, they occur around Christmas.

Worth inquiring whether it's possible to spread the payments over the whole year. I suspect that the advent of Universal Credit, claculated and paid monthly, may mean the annual rent being divided by 12 rather than 48.

Presumably the “system” won’t work for one-offs like your situation.

Whoever you rent off should stop giving you 4 weeks rent free and reduce the price appropriately imho.