Good afternoon, DWP’s recent announcement confirming the extension of the “Full or Digital Service”, including start dates, removes any remaining uncertainty about the new schemes future rollout. Full Service has a number of significant differences to the “Live” or limited service you’ve already experienced. The IT system supporting digital expansion is…

Good morning, Yesterday’s bulletin explained how DWP had kicked off its Supported Accommodation consultation exercise. I also mentioned how plans to apply the Shared Accommodation Rate (SAR) of LHA to single, under 35’s, had been postponed by 1 year to April, 2019. A good news story, for a change! What…

Good morning, DWP Ministers launched a consultation yesterday, focused on the future design and funding of Supported Accommodation. In its introduction, the document, which you can find here>>>, explains its purpose: “This consultation seeks views on the design of the Government’s new housing costs funding model for supported housing, as…

Good afternoon, DWP, just this morning, released details on the next stage in the “digital” or “full service” rollout, identifying each of the Jobcentre areas, planned to progress to the full blown service, between now and September, 2018. The announcement, puts to bed any remaining doubts, the rollout was being further delayed of…

Good morning, DWP has just released its latest statistics on the rollout, including figures up to 13th October, 2016. You can view the report here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/568132/universal-credit-29-apr-2013-to-13-oct-2016.pdf I’ve summarised some of the key factors for you below: * Todate there has been 804,257 claims been received since its launch in April, 2013.…

Good morning, You may recall an earlier bulletin http://universalcreditadvice.com/ha/2016/08/universal-credit—new-benefits-cap-letters-being-issued-september explaining how the lowered levels of Benefits Cap would apply. New regulations permit its implementation from 7th November, 2016 but, although the process starts on this date, some areas will not be affected until later, due to the staggered approach being adopted.…

Good morning, With effect from 3rd October 2016, DWP has introduced a new process, in all “Live” as opposed to “Full Service” areas, to verify details of rent liability, where the claimant fails to provide sufficient information when submitting their claim or, at a later date, when they move into…

Good morning, If you exmine the link http://www.universalcreditadvice.com/housing-associations/training/universal-credit-the-key-risks-to-direct-payments-rent-collection-arrears-control-debt-recovery-explained you’ll find details of the above course which we’re running in Edinburgh on 28th September and London on 4th October, 2016. Both events have already attracted sufficent interest to allow us to confirm they will definitely go ahead; mainly due to the high demand…

Good morning, In an earlier bulletin, I advised you that DWP had identified and lettered tenants likely to be adversely affected by the reduction in Benefits Cap thresholds. Letters were issued sometime between 24 May and 10 June, 2016. The letter didn’t specifically identify a starting date for the cap’s…

Good morning, My bulletin of 4th December http://universalcreditadvice.com/housing-associations/2015/12/universal-credit—digital-system-on-its-way advised of DWP’s plan to start the “Digital System” rollout implementation from May 2016. In the past few days, DWP has confirmed its digital system, will proceed, as planned, and will be rolled out, between May – July 2016 in 5 Job Centre…