Good morning

One of my landlord clients started the New Year, with something of a damp squib when they received a £15,000 demand from DWP, for an alleged overpayment of “housing costs” relating to an ex-tenant. The demand provided details of the property, the overpayment period, and, the fact the…

Hi

RLA members may recall an earlier article involving an aunt and niece, where Housing Benefit had been wrongly refused, simply on the basis of their close family relationship. With my help, both eventually secured payment, including a backdated award, but not without a prelonged  period of worry &…

Good morning

For the 7th year in succession, DWP has failed to produce a satisfactory automated solution, to the annual rent uprating exercise, despite its senior managment, promising me, last year, a solution by Easter 2019!

In its guidance, issued to SRS landlords, on 29th January, 2020, DWP insists, that…

Good afternoon

DWP, on 23rd January 2020, issued its latest set of statistics on the extent of Universal Credit’s rollout. In confirms overall number of claims, as at August 2019, amounted to just over 2 million, and helpfully breaks down figures to constituency levels. It also highlights, there still remains 68% of claimants (4.5 million,…

Dear Member,

In a Ministerial statement re LHA – 13.01.2020 , Under Secretary of State for Welfare Delivery (Will Quince, MP) announced that, from April 2020 Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates will be increased in line with the Consumer Price Index, currently 1.5%, bringing an end to the 4…

Good morning

DWP has just released a Stats Update on the progression of Universal Credit’s rollout, UK wide, broken down into political constituencies.

To illustrate its potential usefulness, I’ve selected, as an example, what’s happened, so far, in the Glasgow Central constituency area.

The stats confirm, only 25% of households have transferred, approximately 7…

Good Morning

I’ve been invited by Policy in Practice to participate in an event in London on 8th January 2020 which is focused on Managed Migration, Transitional Protection and the challenges, this last, and most critical stage of Universal Credit’s rollout, is likely to have on both claimants and their landlord organisations.

DWP estimate, between 15-25%…

Good morning

One of the features of the new website is a section called – Ask our experts for advice.

Although it’s designed for website members only, I frequently receive contact from individual claimants, desperately looking for help. I attempt to answer every query myself, even if it’s…

Good morning

DWP wrote to me this week, confirming it would pay my landlord client £1500 in respect of 4 missing months “housing costs”, originally refused at the point his tenant moved from “live” to “full service” Universal Credit, earlier this year.

The reason DWP gave for refusing payment was…

Good morning

Although I spend a large part of my time dealing with Housing Benefit and Universal Credit queries and disputes, occasionally, I assist clients challenge Council Tax demands. Invariably, I’m able to resolve disputes with the Council concerned, but, on occasions, need to pursue the issue to a Valuation…