Good morning

Last week, I received a call from one of my Letting Agent clients, seeking help with his young son’s claim for Universal Credit. The son had moved into a new apartment, and notified the change to Universal Credit, in early September, via his journal. Over the following 10…

Good morning

The Chancellor, in his autumn statement, made several important announcements, which will significantly impact on the UK’s benefits regime. The changes, effective from April 2023, include, for example:

*Increases to Universal Credit’s, standard allowance, child, carer, disability and limited capability elements, all by the rate of inflation, fixed…

Good morning

In one of my earlier bulletins, I explain how some single claimants, under 35, living in private sector accommodation, qualify for the 1-bed rate of Local Housing Allowance (LHA).

With effect from 1st October 2022 the list of exemptions from the Shared Accommodation Rate (SAR) has been…

Good morning

Recently a tribunal of Upper-tier Judges ruled in a case, where the claimant, a young man (AM), suffering from autism, appealed DWP’s decision refusing his “backdated” request for Universal Credit which he made weeks after submitting his claim.

It has to be said, the ability to…

Good afternoon

Our 16th May bulletin explained how DWP had resumed its programme of moving “legacy benefit” recipients onto Universal Credit. Starting, firstly in Harrow and Bolton areas, it planned to develop further afield, in expectation, the migration process, of the remaining 2.6 million claimants, would complete by December…

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Historically, non-dependant deductions, relating to Housing Benefit, were recognised as one of the most common reasons for rent arrears, and especially difficult to grapple with, where the non-dep was working more than 16 hours per week, attracting deductions that either substantially reduced or wiped out the HB award.…

Good morning

In an earlier bulletin (January 21), I answered one of the most common questions I’m asked – can DWP award UC before the date of the tenant’s actual claim?

The answer is – YES – but, only in limited and prescribed situations.

I explained, using an actual case, how Ms…

Good morning

In recent months, I’ve been contacted by a few PRS landlords. Each was encountering difficulties with DWP, in relation to existing Direct Payments, following either a change of bank or account details, with their current bank (e.g., move to limited company). As required, each notified DWP, anticipating its…

Good afternoon

Following fierce criticism, from Parliamentary Committees, the National Audit Office, amongst others, DWP introduced a “Risk Review” team (RRT) to re-examine UC awards, made during COVID, to establish whether the award was appropriately made or not and, partly because of doing so, overpayments, during 2020/21, amounted to £6…

Good morning

In response to a number of members’ enquiries, about Managed Migration and Transitional Payments, I can confirm, I do plan to deliver some training, covering this most complicated part of the process, but not until later this autumn, by which time, DWP should have published details of its…