Change how your Universal Credit is paid in Scotland
This advice applies to Scotland. See advice for See advice for England, See advice for Northern Ireland, See advice for Wales
Universal Credit Scottish choices
In Scotland, you can ask to change the way that your Universal Credit (UC) is paid.
You can ask for:
your UC to be paid twice a month rather than monthly
some of your UC to be paid directly to your landlord.
These are called the Scottish choices.
The Jobcentre must agree to your request unless there’s a good reason not to, for example if your landlord cannot accept payments. If your request is refused, they must tell you the reasons. You cannot appeal against this decision.
How to ask for the Scottish choices
After your first payment of Universal Credit, you’ll get an offer of the Scottish choices in your online account. You can also ask for one or both Scottish choices at any time by:
using your online account
phoning the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644
asking your work coach.
You can cancel a Scottish UC choice at any time.
Being paid Universal Credit twice a month
You can ask the Jobcentre to pay you your UC twice a month instead of monthly. You’ll be paid roughly every 2 weeks. Each payment will be half of your monthly UC total. You need to make sure you can pay your bills and manage financially during this time.
If you accept the choice of twice monthly payments but not payments of your housing costs to your landlord, you will need to make sure that you are able to pay your rent at the end of each month. If you aren't able to do so you will build up rent arrears. Your landlord could take legal action to evict you from your home.
You cannot get twice monthly payments until after your first UC payment.
Marie makes a new claim for UC on 5 August. The first assessment period is from 5 August to 4 September.
Marie gets her payment of UC on 11 September. This is to cover the assessment period 5 August to 4 September.
After the end of the first assessment period, Marie is given the option of having her UC paid twice a month and having some of her UC paid directly to her landlord. Marie chooses to have her UC paid twice a month.
The next payday doesn’t change. On 11 October, Marie gets her next payment. This is for half of the award for the assessment period 5 September to 4 October.
15 days later, on 26 October, Marie gets the second half of the award for the assessment period 5 September to 4 October.
This repeats for each assessment period.
Getting some of your Universal Credit paid directly to your landlord
If you rent your home, you can ask the Jobcentre to pay the housing costs element of your UC directly to your landlord. You can do this if you have a social landlord or a private landlord.
Your UC housing costs amount might be lower than your rent. It’s your responsibility to pay any shortfall to avoid rent arrears.
Help with debt and rent arrears on Universal Credit
If your total award is less than your housing costs element
If your Universal Credit (UC) is paid direct to your landlord and your total award for the month is less than your housing costs element, your landlord will be paid the whole UC award.
This might happen, for example, if your earnings are higher than usual one month.
If this happens a note will be put on your journal. Your award will be shown as £0 and you will be told to look at how your amount was worked out. You can find this under the ‘payment’ section of the journal.
Alternative payment arrangements
In addition to Scottish choices, the Jobcentre can set up ‘alternative payment arrangements’ (APAs).
They can:
pay your UC more often than once a month
pay your UC housing cost element directly to your landlord
split your UC payments between you and your partner.
Unlike Scottish choices, you can only get an APA in certain situations, for example if you’re struggling to budget with monthly payments. The Jobcentre will decide if you qualify and an APA might only be temporary.
You can have a Scottish choice and an APA for different things. For example, if you already have an alternative payment arrangement for your rent to be paid directly to your landlord, you will only be offered the Scottish choice of twice monthly payments.
If you’ve been refused an APA by the Jobcentre, you can still ask for a Scottish UC choice.
Splitting UC payments between you and your partner is not one of the Scottish UC choices – this is only possible with an APA.