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Open UC must cover housing costs following marriage breakdown in forces accommodation

Created by Jessica pickford
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Following marriage breakdown in families living in in forces accommodation, the party occupying the property while seeking alternative accommodation can be classed as a 'trespasser', and may therefore be ineligible for support with housing costs through Universal Credit.

This can make it incredibly difficult for spouses going through a marriage separation. The word 'Trespass' means Universal Credit will often not help with the housing element of Universal Credit, so the spouse is eligible for the full cost. The spouse is given a breakdown of this cost for example water, council tax, garage rent, house rent and are expected to pay this rent and charges. This can leave families in financial difficulty, in debt when already struggling.

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