Requesting benefit information about tenants
We can only provide you with benefit claims information if the tenant has given their permission. Tenants can give us their permission when applying for Housing Benefit, but this is optional.
If we have been given permission to share a tenant’s information, we can confirm if:
- a claim for benefit has been made
- a decision has been made
- a payment has been made
- more information is needed to process their claim
You should be aware that a tenant can withdraw their permission at any time.
We are also able to discuss payment amounts and dates where the payments have been made to you.
Requesting direct BACS payments
If you are a landlord who receives direct payments from the council for housing benefits, register or sign in to your landlord account.
You can request that Housing Benefit is paid directly to you. You will need to provide supporting documents when making your request and the name and address of your tenant. You can email us at revs@enfield.gov.uk and provide the name of your bank, sort code and account number.
| Reason for request | Required supporting documents |
|---|---|
| Tenant is 8 weeks in arrears - you can email us before it gets to the 8 weeks, as we might be able to help |
|
| Tenant is likely to have difficulty managing their money possibly due to having medical or dependency reasons or language difficulties |
|
| Tenant is unlikely to pay their rent |
|
We will make payments to you at our discretion on review of the circumstances given.
You will need to arrange with the tenant how they will pay the outstanding arrears.
You can also send us a letter with supporting documents to:
Enfield Council
PO Box 63
Civic Centre
Silver Street
Enfield
EN1 3XA
Landlords and Universal Credit
If your tenant claims Universal Credit, an allowance for housing costs will be paid as part of their monthly Universal Credit. Your tenant will normally be responsible for paying their rent to you directly. If there are any problems with their Universal Credit, they will need to contact the DWP, rather than us.
Most tenants will continue to pay you as before. The only change will be that the benefit allowed for their housing costs is paid by Universal Credit rather than Housing Benefit.
For further information, refer to GOV.UK.
Payment difficulties
If your tenant receives Universal Credit and is having difficulty paying their rent, you can complete a form to let the DWP know.
If necessary, you can request that payment is made directly to you. This is called an 'alternative payment arrangement' and is usually put into place when more than two months of rent arrears have accrued. Decisions about the suitability of alternative payment arrangements and deductions for rent arrears are made by DWP on a case-by-case basis. They will ask for supporting information as proof of the arrears outstanding.
Telling us about a change in tenants' circumstances
If you are a landlord and wish to tell us about a change in your tenants' circumstances, raise a query or provide some information, you can email us at revs@enfield.gov.uk. Please include the benefit reference number in the subject field inside pointed brackets, for example <xxxxxx>.