Universal Credit (UC) housing costs element - Universal Credit (UC): How much will I get? I'm a homeowner

Owner-occupiers who are leaseholders can get help with service charges paid as a housing element within Universal Credit. You normally have to serve a waiting period of approximately nine months from the date of your Universal Credit claim before you can receive this help. You cannot get help with service charges as an owner occupier if you have any earnings at all. 

Help with mortgage interest payments is available in the form of a loan on which you will be charged interest. This is separate from your claim for Universal Credit. Please read our Support for Mortgage Interest Loan guide for more detailed information about this loan. 

Waiting period

You will not receive a housing costs element for the first nine months after qualifying to have one included in your award. This is called a 'qualifying period'.

Throughout the waiting period, you cannot have any earned income. 

If you were receiving Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) immediately prior to your Universal Credit claim, the time spent on that benefit can count towards your qualifying period.

If you were already getting help with service charges paid as part of your Income Support, income-based JSA or income-related ESA in the month before you claimed Universal Credit, you will not have a waiting period before you get help with service charges in your Universal Credit.

Updated June 2022