Good morning, One of the most common questions we get asked by Social Landlords is: “How much of the tenant’s rent are we likely to receive and when will we receive it”? The answer, in most cases, where the tenant is unemployed, is relatively straightforward. At the point of the…

Good morning, DWP announced on 28th April “new intensive measures to help the long-term unemployed into work” would start immediately, following the re-training of 26,000 Jobcentre staff to enforce the new policy and associated measures, which apply UK wide. DWP maintains the new scheme “will give Jobcentre staff a new range of options to…

Good morning, DWP issued a press release, dated 29th April, in which it sets out, in some detail, how it proposes to roll-out Universal Credit to a range of councils and jobcentres in the North West of England. Full details can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/universal-credit-first-year-of-welfare-transformation-and-north-west-next-steps Probably the most significant information…

Good Morning, After a bit of a lull on the welfare reform front, DWP has just issued two new important documents. The first is really a refreshed version of its document “Universal Credit & Rented Housing – FAQs” which it first published a few months ago. The revised version is…

Hi, I’m pleased to inform you that the Universal Credit Calculator, which will become a crucially important aid to your staff when UC is rolled out, has just been updated and can now be found as a Useful Link on the Housing Association http://ucadvice.co.uk/housing-associations tab. Look at the bottom right-hand…

  Hi, DWP has just announced that its rollout of Universal Credit is to be widened, not only to the 12 districts previously mentioned, but it’s now decided to loosen the reins, in terms of the very restrictive “eligibility criteria” by allowing more newly unemployed, single claimants, to actually claim…

Good morning, Westminster’s Coalition government has decided to delegate the Scottish Government (SG) power to set the cap on Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs). https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-government-offers-to-transfer-power-over-housing-payment-cap It will give the Scottish Government the flexibility to pass on more funding, from its existing block grant, to local authorities. At present each local authority must operate within a formula-based…

Hi Universal Credit delivery has been extended to another 6 Pathfinder sites and is expected to incrementally progress to other districts, throughout the UK. The “claimant commitment” and associated “benefit sanctions” are already being rolled out to 20,000 Job Centres, creating major problems for both tenants and landlords alike because of sanctions…

Hi, In Friday’s bulletin I expressed surprise that the DWP hadn’t issued an HB circular explaining the detail of the changes introduced by the new legislation. Later in the day I received an e-mail attaching a copy of A8/2014 which provides much more detail on the topic. Alongside this, NHF…

Hi, Supported Accommodation Managers must have given a huge sigh of relief following the recent publication of the Housing Benefit and Universal Credit (Supported Accommodation) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 – http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/771/made A number of homeless and disability charities (Homeless Link, Sitra, Women’s Aid) joined forces with the National Housing Federation and…