30 June 2026
Each April, housing rents increase. For residents who receive Universal Credit with help towards housing costs, it’s important that the new rent amount is confirmed quickly so payments stay accurate and are not delayed.
Each year, the Council must complete around 12,000 rent checks in just six weeks. If this work takes too long, it can delay confirmation to the Department for Work and Pensions and cause avoidable worry for residents.
What’s changed for customers
We now use Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to complete most rent checks quickly and accurately. This means:
- Rent changes are confirmed faster
- Universal Credit payments remain correct
- Residents are less likely to experience delays or disruption
- Fewer follow‑up queries are needed
Building on a successful approach
2026 is the second year this automation has been used, allowing even more checks to be completed automatically and earlier in the rent increase period.
Because staff no longer need to process most checks manually, they also have more time to respond to other housing enquiries, helping residents get support more quickly when they need it.
How this supports our Digital Strategy
Automation helps ensure residents:
- Receive the right payments at the right time
- Experience fewer delays during rent change periods
- Have quicker responses to other queries
This project reduces repetitive work for staff, freeing them up to focus on more complex tasks. There are no new systems to learn, just less manual processing. The work has also helped us explore how automation can safely operate alongside multi‑factor authentication, supporting future projects.
