Good morning,

One of the most frequent questions I’m asked by landlords, regarding Universal Credit is:

“Why has my tenant’s “housing costs” been cancelled retrospectively, when he’s still liable to me for rent”?

Firstly, the questions of liability to pay rent and your tenant’s entitlement to “housing costs”…

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…

A happy, healthy and prosperous New Year everyone.

Just before the Christmas break, I received an email from one of my Housing Association clients, seeking my assistance with a Housing Benefit dispute, that arose when one of its residents fell ill, failed to return an annual review form, and months…

Good morning

DWP recently published the above-mentioned document, which is designed to provide, Social & Private landlords, with helpful information and points of contact, where queries exist, including dedicated phone numbers and email addresses, covering such things as:

Alternative Payment Arrangements Templates for use when you change your bank…

 

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

Regular readers of our bulletins responded to our recent story about the tenant of Cairn Housing Association who received the backdate of £25,000 and weekly increase in his income of £66 per week.

Many praised the efforts of the Tenancy Sustainment officer who had identified and diligently…

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

Recently, I have highlighted tenant case examples, where specialist RSL staff have helped tenants, successfully overcome obstacles, created by a DWP administration struggling to cope with the complexities, it’s created, in a benefits system, originally described as being “simplified, integrated & transformational”; it’s certainly, not fulfilling the hype,…

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…