Uttlesford District Council has announced that it is adopting new government regulations for the payment of Housing Benefit.  The new system, which comes into effect in April means that Housing Benefit will be paid direct to the tenant and not to the landlord.

The Government stated that it has introduced these new measures to improve choices for claimants who receive housing benefit and gives them the opportunity to manage their own finances.  Not all Councils are following Uttlesford’s lead with just a few local councils opting to act as a flagship council to trial the new measures which are expected to be rolled out on a national basis. 

“It will be interesting to see how the new system works, which will affect all the new tenancies commencing after 5 April 2008,” says Stephen Goddard, Managing Director of A120 Lettings in Dunmow.  “Whilst this gives more freedom of choice to those receiving Housing Benefit one of the major benefits of the old system was that claimants were happy to know that their rent was being paid directly for them, on their behalf, and landlords were confident that they would receive their rent.  We shall have to see how this works out”.