Good morning, DWP’s Director of Planning has, just this week, issued a bulletin to all Social Landlords, announcing: a)      A new claims process, which will mean: “claimants will from 18th August be asked to bring a recent rent statement as well as a copy of their tenancy agreement to their…

Hi, In an earlier bulletin http://www.ucadvice.co.uk/housing-associations/2014/06/universal-credit—dwp-explains-housing-costs-anomaly I highlighted concerns over the way Universal Credit operates when there’s a change in the claimant’s household make-up and/or financial circumstances. For example, couples separating or two individual households coming together as one; son/daughter leaves school or starts work; a rise in family income etc.…

Lord Freud was the keynote speaker at last week’s Local Government Association (LGA) conference and took the opportunity to announce, to council delegates, further developments in the rollout of Universal Credit.  He kicked off by stating – “The first is about universal credit, itself a significant change for local government…

Good Afternoon, If you’re looking for a bit of Universal Credit advice, now or sometime in the future, or would like to update your Board Members, Managers and/or staff on UC’s latest developments, look no further than UC Advice; our members all testify to that! Below you’ll find 5 of the latest…

DWP has quickly followed up on its “next step” plans, which included rolling out UC to 12 new council districts, in the north west of England, starting in June, 2014, by announcing its intentions of loosening the reins on the “eligibility” criteria, allowing more single tenants and couples to claim.…

Good Afternoon, I wrote to you some weeks ago explaining how the DWP had issued an HB circular to all councils instructing them to work with social landlords in an attempt to identify possible beneficiaries of the loophole. See http://www.ucadvice.co.uk/housing-associations/2014/01/urgent-bedroom-tax—dwp-accept-the-merit-of-loophole-arguement RSLs have since confirmed that their local authorities have, in…

On 29th September, Ian Duncan Smith announced the national roll-out of Universal Credit to all Jobcentres and local authority areas in the UK. Initially, claims will be restrcted to single claimants, in all areas, but in a phased implementation, claims will later be taken from couples and families. Only a…

Good afternoon, I’ve spent most of the past month visiting RSL and Private Sector clients, throughoutthe UK, anxious to secure an update on the Universal Credit rollout. Some anxiety was created by the DWP announcement, in May 2014, of a further 12 council districts “going live” from June 2014, with seemingly less…

Good Afternoon, DWP has just published its latest circular HB 12-2014. It’s designed to explain how Housing Benefit and Universal Claims must be handled by DWP and LAs when there’s a change in circumstances which affects claimants entitlement to one or both benefits. It also explains what happens when a…

Hi, DWP earlier today published HB U2/2014 its latest Housing Benefit circular, and has sent this to all HB administering authorities so that their staff can use some of the material when responding to Bedroom Tax Appeals and when making submissions to First & Upper-tier tribunals. As I’m sure you’re already…