Benefit Rate Increase

To help people with rising interest rates, from Spring 2023, homeowners on Universal Credit will be able to apply for Support for Mortgage Interest loans after three months instead of nine months, including those who are working. 

The Government will cap rent increases for people in social housing to 7%, rents were due to rise by 10% before this was announced.

It’s important to remember that if you are struggling to pay your rent, you should contact your local council as soon as you start to struggle to ask for additional support.

The benefit cap will also see a 10.1%, increase from April 2023. The cap will go up from £20,000 to £22,020 for families nationally and from £23,000 to £25,323 for families in Greater London.

While for single people it will go up from £13,400 to £14,753 nationally and from £15,410 to £16,967 in Greater London.

The Household Support Fund will be extended until March 2024, allowing people on benefits and low incomes to get help with the cost of essentials. In England you apply through your local council. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own schemes.

From September 2023, if you’re getting Universal Credit, working the equivalent of 15 and 35 hours a week and earning the National Living Wage you will have to meet with a work coach at your local Jobcentre Plus.

This interview is to look at ways of increasing your hours or getting better paid work with the aim of coming off benefits altogether.