Updated: 3 April 2020
We know these are uncertain and worrying times for many of our customers, but we want you to know that we are here to help and always encourage customers to tell us straight away if they are experiencing problems paying their rent and there is a range of help available.
We can agree affordable repayment plans and provide specialist advice on claiming benefits, maximising income and managing debt through our Rents, Benefits and Money Advice teams.
We are continuing to charge rent as normal and you need to continue to pay your rent in full where possible. Paying as much as you are able to is better than paying nothing at all. We would encourage you to continue to do this to reduce your arrears and to avoid any action in the future.
We realise you may need help from benefits to do this. You will need to make a claim to Universal Credit for help to pay your rent for the period that you are away from work.
People living in social housing affected by Coronavirus will be protected from eviction for three months in emergency legislation to be passed by the government. However, any arrears will continue to increase if you don’t pay your rent - please contact us if you are unable to pay. We wish to stress that we will not charge you any interest or any fees, but your weekly or monthly rental charge will still show on your statement.
If you are worried about falling into arrears because you cannot pay us in the short term because of Coronavirus, it is important that you speak to us as soon as possible. Failing to engage with us or make every effort to maintain some form of payment could result in further consequences after the three-month period is up.
If you are worried about falling into arrears because you cannot pay us in the short term because of Coronavirus, you can discuss setting up a payment plan with our Rents Team by emailing Income.Services@Torus.co.uk.
We recognise that for many people, this will be the first time they have needed to claim benefits.
You can receive up to a month’s advance upfront without physically attending a Jobcentre. The seven waiting days for ESA for new claimants suffering from Coronavirus or required to stay at home will not apply, so it will be payable from day one.
For more information, including making a claim for a Discretionary Housing Payment, a Council Tax Reduction or Housing Benefit, visit Liverpool City Council’ Council Tax and Benefits website page..
We can also support you whilst you make your claim for Universal Credit so please call our Rents and Money Advice please email welfarereformteam@torus.co.uk.
The Torus team are extremely busy trying to help as many customers as possible. If you are struggling to get through, try one of these alternatives, who can also offer help and support to make a claim for Universal Credit online:
We are regularly updating our website and social media feeds with information regarding our services and links to support for money-related matters. Keep updated on our dedicated coronavirus page.
Want to know more about Universal Credit? Visit the understanding Universal Credit website.
Visit our Universal Credit page for regular updates from the DWP and to keep updated with how the Coronavirus is impacting Universal Credit.
If your income has reduced, you may be eligible for support in paying your council tax.
If you are already claiming but your income has changed, you will need let your council know there has been a change of circumstances so they can re-assess your claim. Visit Liverpool City Council’s Council Tax page.
Keep updated on the Liverpool City Council’ dedicated page.
Families who access free school meals will now get weekly shopping vouchers worth £15 to use in Sainsburys, Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Waitrose and M&S. You should receive your voucher via you child’s school - schools were being emailed on 31/03 so if you haven’t been contacted them please contact your child’s school to get your voucher - click here to find out more about the scheme.
Some of you may be worrying about how you are going to pay your utility bills, and for those on pre-payment meters, how you’re going to keep them topped up.
Ofgem, the regulatory authority for gas and electric have published the following advice on what to do if you are faced with affordability issues.
The government has launched an emergency package with energy suppliers to ensure you don’t face any additional hardships in heating or lighting your home during the coronavirus outbreak. If you are struggling with money problems or are repaying a debt, options will include:
If you think you can’t afford to pay for any extra gas or electricity used because you’re having to self-isolate at home, support will be available through your energy supplier.
Your supplier must take into account how much you can afford and will explain your options.
For further general advice on household energy bill support, see Ofgem’s guide: Who to contact if it’s difficult paying bills.
For more information from Ofgem, you can visit their website.
United Utilities have published the following advice:
“We wanted to let you know what we’re doing in response to the Coronavirus outbreak to protect our staff and customers. We’re following the government health advice to make sure our customers and our colleagues stay safe and we are putting all the necessary measures in place to ensure this advice is followed by everyone. We understand this is a challenging time and we’ve put our robust business continuity plans into action so we can make sure we can still supply our water and wastewater services to all customers across the North West. Advice from the World Health Organisation is that the water treatment process – specifically the addition of chlorine which is routinely used for disinfection – will kill the virus. Remember, only flush the three Ps – pee, poo and paper. Please do not flush any kitchen roll, wet wipes or newspaper down the toilet as these can cause major blockages in the sewers”.
You can find more information on their website.
No advice has been published about support TV Licensing is able to give if you have difficulty paying, it is still a legal requirement to have one if you want to:
However, the BBC has delayed their plans to charge the over 75s for their license fee until August in light of the coronavirus situation. The current plan is to now bring it into place on 1 August, but they will keep the issue under review as the situation continues to evolve.
Many internet providers are still working out their response to COVID-19, many are looking at giving free phone calls and extra data and speed boosts. Check your supplier’s website directly for more information.
