Alternative Payment Arrangements - what to do about this then?

UC is paid monthly so moving house midway through a payment cycle can be problematic for tenants + landlords. There is protection through APAs supposedly but problems with these as per this Q & A…:

Q: The scheme has cases where a client has moved from a property mid-month and under UC the housing element has stopped and they haven’t received the final rent payment. It was discussed whether this was linked to the payment cycle of UC?

A: ... as it’s a whole month payment the claimant is paid based on their circumstances at the end of the month. If the claimant has moved mid-month the payment will be based on their new accommodation. The claimant is therefore responsible for paying whatever part rent they owe to the previous landlord from this payment. If the landlord has an APA in place they won’t get anything for that month as they are not the landlord when the payment is issued; UC doesn’t do part month payments. If the new landlord also has an APA in place from day one, they will get the whole payment for the month.

So… vulnerable people who qualify for APA ordinarily don’t if they have to move house mid-cycle, unless someone can sort a new APA by the end of the monthly cycle (likely!) A landlord who previously got APA cos tenant had spent 8 weeks rent loses last month rent as well. We’ll all have to work out optimum moving dates. And presumably some unscrupulous landlords will work out how to play this game for profit.

Suggestions for resolving this little conundrum on a postcard to IDS please.

Plus the move of address may be to exempt accommodation for a period. To quote one LA “iIf the council does not yet know the full extent of all specified accommodations in their area, what chance do DWP have”? Will providers of night shelters etc. ever get paid and by whom?