Help is available for people suffering Universal Credit-related money problems

Local councils have a duty to provide help for people with no income due to delays in Universal Credit payments – but they aren’t telling anyone.

Vox Political reader has written in as follows:

“With Christmas on our doorstep, the Universal Credit roll-out is going ahead as planned with people being changed over at the beginning of December, which could leave families with little to no money for up to 12 weeks.

“Please ensure that anyone you know who is struggling understands that THERE IS HELP.

If your money is stopped/late/delayed you can go to the council and fill in a Nil Income form.

“That will reinstate rent and council tax [they mean housing benefit and council tax reduction] and give access to further help like meter credits, food bank vouchers and emergency cash payments.

This info is not readily available sadly and it should be. The authorities will only deal with it if you ask specifically which is a disgrace.

“So if your benefits have been sanctioned or if you suffer cash flow problems from UC, then remember help is still available.

Also … never vote Tory again.


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9 Comments

  1. BJF October 28, 2017 at 12:53 pm - Reply

    I don’t think it is called a “nil income form”. This is the Leeds City Council version http://www.leeds.gov.uk/docs/nil%20income.pdf

  2. Gary fox October 28, 2017 at 1:30 pm - Reply

    Please delete this info. It is totally incorrect and misleading. There are no magic “nil income” claim forms in local councils. You can apply for housing benefit on a nil income basis……but if you are on universal credit or applied for it then you can’t get HB anyway. Even if you get hb on nil income basis, it doesnt entitle you to fuel, food, living expenses or sweets for your unicorn. You are sending people on a wild goose chase and it’s pretty disgraceful of you to be honest.

    • Mike Sivier November 1, 2017 at 1:23 am - Reply

      The information came from a reasonable source.
      Have you actually tried, then?

  3. alison warner October 28, 2017 at 1:32 pm - Reply

    This is in fact fake news – local councils do have a nil income form – this is to claim Housing Benefit if you have no resources – however, if you have a live Universal Credit claim – no matter how late your payment your local authority WILL NOT help with rent – local authorities may provide a voucher for the food bank and some can help you to access charitable funds. Bit filling in a nil income form is not going to help with anything – please stop sharing this – it just wastes people’s time and energy

  4. Samuel Miller (@Hephaestus7) October 28, 2017 at 6:50 pm - Reply

    [March 2015] Benefit staff told ‘not to mention hardship payments’ | The Times & The Sunday Times https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/benefit-staff-told-not-to-mention-hardship-payments-zl0wh8gbs8f

  5. dean stockton October 29, 2017 at 5:24 pm - Reply

    I already know about NIL INCOME FORMS I advise everyone to fill one in if they get kicked off ESA. sanctioned or a delay in benefits

  6. Kevin Bolt October 29, 2017 at 6:14 pm - Reply

    This information is incorrect and is just giving people false hope and just wasting their time. As Welfare Benefit Advisers we have to divert resources away from helping people every time this post comes up.

    If you have made a claim for UC the conversation with the council will be:

    You: Here’s my Nil Income form
    Council: Have you claimed UC?
    You: Yes
    Council: Then your housing costs are covered by the housing element of UC

    The other scenario if your JSA/ESA is sanctioned will be:

    You: I’ve been sanctioned here’s my Nil Income form
    Council: What’s that for
    You: So that you can pay my HB
    Council: WE already do. If you are sanctioned it doesn’t affect your HB as per HB circular U1/2015 so there is no need to fill in a nil income form

    • Mike Sivier October 29, 2017 at 10:34 pm - Reply

      So you’re saying councils are directed to make matters worse? That’s useful to know.

      Let’s have some comments from people who have tried this.

      • wepaidinyoupayout November 4, 2017 at 9:07 pm - Reply

        I’ve put this very question to members in my universal credit group, real stories of trying and being told no, or otherwise.

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