The Housing Costs Element of Universal Credit

Universal Credit includes: an amount in respect of any liability of a claimant to make payments in respect of the accommodation they occupy as their home. Several parts must all be satisfied to be entitled to the housing costs element. Payments must be rent payments. Liability to make those payments must be on a commercial basis The tenant must be treated as having a liability to make those payments; and The tenant must be treated as occupying the accommodation as their home Rent payments and owner-occupier payments For a claimant to be entitled to the housing costs element, the payments in respect of the home must be “rent payments” or “owner-occupier payments”.