This content applies to Scotland only.

Housing laws vary between Scotland and England. Get advice relating to England

If you get income support, jobseeker's allowance, employment and support allowance or pension credit and you have rent arrears, payments towards your arrears can be deducted directly from your benefits.

Can I ask for payment to my arrears to be taken from my benefits?

If you have rent arrears that amount to more than four weeks' rent, you can ask the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to pay part of your benefits to your landlord until your rent arrears are cleared. You can do this if you are claiming income support, pension credit, employment support allowance or jobseeker's allowance.

Let your landlord know if you have asked the DWP to do this. The DWP will only deduct a small amount from your benefits each week, possibly just a couple of pounds. If you have large rent arrears, you may have to make additional payments on top of the deductions to prevent your landlord from taking action to evict you.

Can my landlord ask for payments to my arrears to be taken from my benefits?

If your rent arrears amount to more than eight weeks' rent, your landlord can ask the DWP to pay them part of your benefits until your arrears are cleared.

If you are in rent arrears because you have been withholding rent, for example because your landlord is refusing to carry out repairs, you can ask the DWP not to take deductions from your benefits.

If you have any queries about deductions from your benefits for rent arrears, contact an adviser at Shelter, Citizens Advice, a welfare rights centre or another advice service in your area. Contact details are in the Advice Services Directory.