September 2024 survey shows rise in arrears among Universal Credit residents

Total rent arrears on Universal Credit claimants' accounts held by housing associations rose 11 per cent to £63m in September 2024, compared with £57m in June 2024, according to the National Housing Federation's quarterly Universal Credit and rent arrears survey¹. Over the same period, arrears for residents paying by other means fell 19 per cent, from £31m in June to £25m in September¹.

The survey also found that 54 per cent of residents paying rent through Universal Credit were in rent arrears in September 2024, up from 51 per cent in June, compared with 30 per cent of residents paying by other means, down from 36 per cent in June¹. The proportion of general needs residents claiming Universal Credit rose from 46 per cent in June to 48 per cent in September 2024¹.

Average arrears per Universal Credit claimant in arrears were £687 in September 2024, against £447 per resident paying by other means, increases of 5 per cent and 2 per cent respectively since June 2024¹. The NHF describes the survey as tracking trends in rent arrears and their relationship with Universal Credit, collected at the end of each quarter "to build a long-term picture and track the impact of new policies and economic turbulence"¹.

The NHF has since published later quarterly findings on the same page. In December 2024 it reported total arrears of £58m on Universal Credit accounts and £23m for residents paying by other means, both down 8 per cent compared with September, with 48 per cent of Universal Credit claimants in arrears against 28 per cent of other residents¹. In March 2025 it reported 43 per cent of Universal Credit tenants in arrears, down from 48 per cent in December, against 24 per cent of tenants paying by other means, down from 29 per cent¹. By September 2025, 45 per cent of residents paying rent through Universal Credit were in arrears, down from 46 per cent in June, and average arrears were £639 per Universal Credit account against £500 for other accounts, a difference of £139, narrower than the £240 gap recorded in September 2024¹. In December 2025, 46 per cent of residents using Universal Credit to help pay their rent had arrears, and average arrears were £675 per Universal Credit resident against £513 for those not receiving it¹.

Why it matters for households

The figures cover housing association tenants in general needs homes, not all renters or all benefits claimants. They show that, across the quarters reported, households whose rent is paid through Universal Credit were consistently more likely to be behind on rent and to owe more on average than those paying by other means, although the gap in average arrears narrowed between September 2024 and September 2025¹. The share of residents claiming Universal Credit also rose over the period, from 46 per cent in June 2024 to 59 per cent as of 30 December 2025¹.

For anyone affected, rent arrears can lead to a landlord taking recovery action, and the help with rent page sets out how the Universal Credit housing element and Local Housing Allowance work. The NHF notes that housing association staff reported challenges establishing or maintaining contact with DWP staff about queries, and difficulties setting up Alternative Payment Arrangements, under which rent is paid directly to a landlord¹.

What happens next

The NHF says it collects the survey data at the end of each quarter and updates the page regularly¹. No further dated steps are given in the published findings.