How to update your Universal Credit Journal

Updating your Universal Credit journal for April's rent increase 

If you're on Universal Credit, you get help with your housing costs. You'll need to update your journal with your new rent amount, or you could lose out on the difference. 

You should have received a rent increase letter from us, which includes your housing costs and your service charge, but you can also find this information on your portal. Head over to 'My Account', and then go to the 'My Rent' section. Here you will find the breakdown.  

If you don't report any changes to Universal Credit correctly when your rent increases from the beginning of April, it could lead to delays in payments and your housing cost element will be underpaid.

Universal Credit will send you a ‘to-do’ on, or after,  Monday 1 April that will be personalised to your circumstances.  

But please don’t report the changes until you get the ‘to-do’ on your journal and don’t use the ‘change of circumstances’ to-do, to report the annual rent change. 
 
If you have a phone claim, call Universal Credit on 2 April, to tell them about your rent increase. 

How to report your change

Sign-in to your Universal Credit account online and into your ‘to-do’ list. Here you’ll be able to report changes to your housing costs by answering the questions below.

Step 1: Date of change - select 'Yes' and press 'Continue.

You will then be taken to a screen asking you to report the 'Changes to your rent'. You can find these changes and your new amount in your rent increase letter. 

Step 2: Changes to your rent - select 'Yes' and enter the amount in your rent increase letter. Click 'Continue'.

You will then be taken to a screen that asks about changes to your service charges. Please note, it’s really important that you add up your service charges correctly. You may be asked to accept the charges after we have verified them. Please do this, as your rent will not be paid until you do.

Step 3: Changes to your service charges - select 'Yes' and enter the amount in your letter. Click 'Continue' to complete the changes.

On Housing Benefit? 
 

If you receive Housing Benefit instead of Universal Credit, your benefit will be automatically updated and you do not need to do anything.