Good afternoon, In an earlier bulletin, I alluded to a range of planned changes to Universal Credit & Housing Benefit which are primarily designed to save money, whilst supposedly aligning Housing Benefit rules with those applying to Universal Credit. The following statutory instrument: The Housing Benefit (Abolition of the Family Premium…

Good morning, My recent bulletin, highlighting problems with the Non-secure APA process http://universalcreditadvice.com/ha/2016/07/dwp-introduce-variation-to-non-secure-e-mail-procedure—high-importance has prompted many of our members to seek further advice on how best to: Query an APAs receipt and progress; and Make a formal complaint about DWP mishandling of an application or failure to adequately explain its…

Good morning, DWP has just published its latest stats on Universal Credit, covering the period from 29th April, 2013 (start date) and 7th Jul, 2016. The information is presented in a number of graphs and pie-charts which you can find here. I have extracted a number of the key points for…

Good morning, Our December 2015 bulletin http://universalcreditadvice.com/ha/2015/12/alternative-payment-arrangements—new-non-secure-e-mail-procedure—high-importance advised you of the DWP’s new e-mail facility. Designed to replace the original procedure, which required paper applications for APAs, sent by post, to the Mail Opening Unit (MOU) in Woverhampton, the electronic option was welcomed by Social and Private Landlords alike, as…

Good morning, The Northern Housing Consortium has just published the first of a series of reports – Impact of Universal Credit, Report 1– which, amongst other things, points to rent arrears having risen, on average, by 41.1% in respect of tenants claiming Universal Credit, in relation to the 38 organisations…

Good morning, When Universal Credit was first unveiled, one of its key objectives was to “make work pay”. In other words, claimants would be duly incentivised to work by being allowed to earn, a fixed sum, without their benefits being docked, £ for £. Initially, there was some truth to…

Good morning, The DWP has started the process of identifying and notifying tenants likely to be adversely affected by the reduction in Benefits Cap threshholds. For a full briefing look here Those affected should receive a letter from the DWP, sometime between 24 May and 10 June, 2016. The letter…

Good morning, Given all the recent changes affecting Universal Credit we’ve updated our introductory pack which members have used when compiling briefings and leaflets for staff, committee members and tenant forums. It should be especially helpful to new staff, members and those who offer advice and support to tenants and/or…

Good morning, For some time now, Social landlords have been complaining bitterly about the poor quality of communications from DWP. Receiving award letters, in relation to their tenants’ claims, should be automatic and relaible. At present, it is anything but. DWP, in an attempt to address those concerns and improve…

Good morning, You will recall, I wrote to you http://www.universalcreditadvice.com/housing-associations/2016/05/universal-credit—dwp-deadline-extended-for-your-dedicated-e-mail-address explaining DWP’s plans to implement a new e-mail procedure, designed to improve the speed and reliability of the 7 day “Notification letter of an award of Universal Credit”. This positive change was introduced, due to social landlord demands for improvements…