Tenant challenged procedure after £500 docked from universal credit payment at landlord’s request, with whom he was in dispute over repairs

A “computer says yes” program that automatically approves landlord requests to deduct hundreds of pounds from tenants’ universal credit benefits without requiring officials to check first with the claimant has been declared unlawful by the courts.

The challenge was brought by a tenant who was outraged to find the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) had docked £500 from his universal credit payment at the request of his landlord, with whom he was in dispute over repairs.