Paying Your Rent - 2024/2025 and the 53 week year
Every few years there falls an extra Monday within the rent year. 2024/25 is one of those years which means that you will be charged 53 weeks rent over the forthcoming year.
What does this mean for me?
If you pay your rent weekly, you will have an extra week to pay this year.
If you pay monthly you will need to ensure your monthly calculation incorporates the full 53 weeks i.e: Weekly rent x 53 then divide by 12.
Example - £95 x 53 = £5,035 ÷ 12 = £419.88 per month.
If you pay your rent every 4 weeks, you pay 13 times throughout the year so will need to ensure your calculation includes 53 weeks rent divided by 13.
Example - £95 x 53 = £5,035 ÷ 13 = £387.31 every 4 weeks.
- Do you receive benefits to help pay your rent?
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If you receive Housing Benefit, this is paid directly onto your rent account each week and includes all of the 53 weeks for this year. You will need to ensure that any difference between your housing benefit and your rent is paid to us.
If you receive Universal Credit, the DWP will not include this extra week in their monthly calculation of your entitlement and so you will need to pay this. To lessen the impact we would recommend that you pay a little bit extra each month so that over the course of the year this is covered. Please contact the Income Management Team in 01543 462621 or email rents@cannockchasedc.gov.uk if you wish to discuss how to do this.
- What if I am not happy with Universal Credit not covering the extra week?
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Unfortunately, there is nothing Cannock Chase Council can do, as the tenant you will still be liable to pay the extra week of rent that Universal Credit won't cover. If you do not pay, you will end up in arrears.
However, you may wish to write to your local MP in the hope that the Department for Work and Pensions will consider changing their legislation around this extra week, so future years will not be affected in this way.