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…

Good morning

DWP has just made a “backdated” award of £3000 in Universal Credit “Housing Costs” to a Housing Association client of mine, fully clearing off rent arrears, that had been accruing, since February 2018, when their tenant was wrongly advised, by DWP, to cancel his Universal Credit claim.

DWP…

Good afternoon

The Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) have just published its annual report for 2018/19. A large part of the report, not surprisingly, focuses on the final phase of Universal Credit’s Managed Migration exercise – and explains, in detail, the various exchanges it’s had, with both DWP and Parliament…

Good morning

If your tenant claims Universal Credit, they will not be paid any money until 5 weeks after they submit their claim, and will be paid monthly thereafter.

They can ask for an advance payment of Universal Credit if they’re in financial hardship while they wait for their first…

Good morning

DWP has just issued its latest statistics on Universal Credit, covering, amongst other things, the numbers of claims and awards made so far, broken down, and including an analysis at regional and district level. The figures cover the period up to 11th July 2019 and can be found