Echo Summer 2016

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Sharp rise in court costs
Four-week benefits rules
If you are taken to court for late
or non-payment of rent, you have
to pay the £325 court fee. It is
another good reason to contact
us early and avoid legal action.
Most cases of rent arrears can be
resolved without the need for
court, but when this does happen,
we have no choice but to charge the
fee imposed by the Court.
The new rate is a 30% jump up
from the old fee of £250. So it pays
to stay away from court.
If you need to claim Housing
Benefit or already receive it and
your circumstances change, it
is vital to act quickly. You will
also need to make a fresh claim
if you are outside the UK for
more than four weeks.
New rules mean that local
councils can now only backdate
payments of Housing Benefit
for a maximum of four weeks.
So, if you delay claiming or
notifying the council of a change
for longer than this, you may
lose out.
If you leave the country for an
extended period, your
Universal Credit or Housing
Benefit will end after four weeks
and you will need to make a new
claim when you return.
The single payment merges
together and replaces several
previously separate payments
and tax credits (including
Job Seekers Allowance,
Income Support and Housing
Benefit). The new
arrangements also cover
Employment Support
Allowance, Working Tax Credit,
and Child Tax Credit.
From November 2016, all new
claims or changes of
circumstances for working
age people in the Daventry,
Harborough, and Melton local
authority areas will move to
Universal Credit.
The phased launch of Universal Credit – the Government’s new
all-in-one benefit for working age people - is affecting more and
more people across the whole emh homes area.
Universal Credit phased in
This tighter Benefits Cap set by
the Government reduces the
annual amount from its current
level of £23,000, so if you
currently receive more than
£257.69 per week in benefits
as a single person, or £385 per
week as a parent (with or without
a partner), your income will be
From autumn 2016, the total amount of welfare benefits a working
age household can receive will be limited to £20,000 per year.
What is the benifit cap? The benefits cap ensures people do not
receive more benefits than the average household earns.
New £20,000 Benefits Cap
Universal Credit is paid monthly
in arrears to a nominated
person in each household, who
is then responsible for making
sure that the housing element is
used to pay for rent and
service charges.
reduced to this maximum
amount.
We are working closely with the
Department of Work and
Pensions and local councils to
support customers affected by
this change.
All payments will
be made monthly
If you have any queries or
concerns about benefits
or any other money matter,
please contact our Income
Team on:
T. 0300 123 6000
E.
elzr
Two adults
with two children
£500
PER WEEK
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One adult
with two children
£500
PER WEEK
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Two adults
£500
PER WEEK
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One adult
£350
PER WEEK
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