6 October 2017
New universal credit flexibilities now available in Scotland
From 4 October 2017, people living in Scotland will have some additional choices in relation to their universal credit. They can choose to:
- Be paid monthly (current position) or twice monthly
- Have their housing costs paid to themselves (current position) or their landlord
These flexibilities are available to full service claimants only (not live service claimants).
According to the Scottish Government website, eligible claimants will be offered the choice after they have received their first payment of UC. This means the offer will be made at the start of the second assessment period, when the expected UC award is known. The offer should be made in the claimant’s online account.
If an Alternative Payment Arrangement has been applied for prior to the start of the second assessment period, then the corresponding choice will not be offered.
If the claimant does not make a choice within 60 days of the offer being presented, it will be removed from their online account, but they will still be able to request it at any time using their journal online.
Discussions are ongoing around existing claimants being able to access the choices from early January 2018.
More information for advisers is available on the Scottish Government website
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