Good morning

My last bulletin highlighted DWP’s plans to add 3,100 staff to its Enhanced Review team, bringing the total to nearly 6,000 strong. As explained, it intends to review 8 million current awards of Universal Credit, starting from April 2025, in the hope it can stem the rise…

Good morning

The Autumn Budget, delivered by Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, was disappointing for many benefit claimants, particularly those under pensionable age (66), with the news of April 2025 increases being pegged at just 1.7% for benefits like Universal Credit, PIP, ESA, and Child Benefit.

Pensioners fared better with both State…

Hi

This was an unusual appeal, involving 16 tenants and demands for £235,000 in alleged overpayments. Allegedly, because there never was any overpayment in the first place nor should my clients and their tenants have been put through 3 years of unnecessary worry, anxiety, and cost. DWP subsequently accepted it had made…

Good morning

Last week’s bulletin created a bit of a stir and prompted landlord clients to ask:

Why can’t a tenant report a change, like the annual rent charge, either in advance of the change or, at least, within the Benefits Assessment Period (BAP), in which the change occurs;…

Good morning

Our March bulletin explaining the uprating order and its impact on tenants’ personal and housing cost awards, attracted considerable attention and discussion.

Since then, several private members have raised concerns over some tenants failing to report the change in rent charge, causing rent arrears. They also question…

Good morning

I recently helped a housing association client, located in London, with an appeal involving UC and succeeded in having UC housing costs, restored and backdated to July 2021. The appeal affected 16 of its tenants and should produce around £225k…

Hi

DWP has created helpful information on its website to assist staff engaged in the process of migrating legacy benefit recipients to Universal Credit. It also compliments the information I’ve previously provided in earlier website bulletins

How is it designed to operate?

The process by which a legacy benefit…

Good morning

We are fast approaching April when several changes occur, which will impact on your tenants’ personal benefit entitlement and housing costs. The rises will be warmly welcomed, as many of the families have been struggling to make ends meet, especially considering higher living costs, and energy bills, which…

Good afternoon

I recently provided an update on the Managed Migration timetable and how and when it would be conducted. The game plan is to transfer around 1 million more “legacy” benefit recipients to Universal Credit by no later than March 2025.

It’s been recognised for some time, this…

Good morning

I’m delighted to confirm the following training courses, in both Glasgow & Edinburgh are available to book.

Glasgow Course – 21st February in Tollcross Housing Association’s offices – How Universal Credit is contributing to rent arrears. Edinburgh Training Centre – Two courses covering a) Universal Credit’s View Article