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When everyone has a home

Housing advice for Northern Ireland

Housing Benefit is changing

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

Lots of people are struggling to manage with housing issues because of the coronavirus crisis. Check out our Coronavirus section for information and advice on common problems, including help to pay your rent and mortgage, eviction and repairs.

Housing Benefit is being replaced by a new benefit - universal credit. The way your housing costs are worked out will be quite different under the universal credit system, particularly if you are a homeowner.

The government has also announced further plans to change the way that help with housing costs is given to people on low incomes. 

Universal credit in Northern Ireland

Universal credit is rolling out across Northern Ireland. From 5 December 2018 most new claims for social security assistance will be for Universal Credit. You will only be able to make new claims for older benefits, such as Housing Benefit in limited circumstances. You can make and manage a Universal Credit claim online. The phone number for Universal Credit in Northern Ireland is 0800 012 1331 

The government will start moving existing claimants of certain other benefits on to Universal Credit from 2019 and plans to finish this process by 2022. 

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