Good morning, The Scottish Government yesterday released a bulletin, based on Discretionary Housing Payment spending (DHPs) in Scotland between 1st April and 30th November 2013. The bulletin provides information on the number of DHP applications, decisions and awards. It also gives the total value of DHP awards through to 30…

Hi, The Chartered Institute of Housing’s in-house magazine “Inside Housing” recently reported on a scandal that’s been developing over the past year, in particular, caused by a mixture of DWP/Council maladministration and some of the welfare reform measures. http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/finance/‘unintended’-housing-benefit-cuts-hit-tenants/7001667.article In the article, reference was made to: “The number of sanctions…

Hi, As we start the new year, Universal Credit delivery is being extended to another 6 Pathfinder sites. The “claimant commitment” and associated “benefit sanctions” are being rolled out to all 20,000 Job Centres, and are already creating major problems for both tenants and landlords alike. Making benefit claims, using digital services,…

Hi,The following article was published on 24 Dash.com. Bill Irvine, of universal credit advice website www.ucadvice.co.uk, analyses the latest UC demonstration project findings. The six demonstration projects (DPs), set up nearly 20 months ago, to help determine how best to manage ‘direct payments’ or ‘landlord managed payments’ have just published…

Hi, In recent weeks there has been much debate on welfare rights discussion forums about a potential “Bedroom Tax” loophole affecting tenancies created before 1st January 1996. Apparently, the case for challenge was first identified by a first-tier tribunal judge and has since been applied in other cases. DWP has…

Hi, In a bulletin to “stakeholder members” prompted by the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, the DWP have confirmed that the introduction of “Housing Credit” originally planned for October 2014 has been put “on hold” and will not be introduced until at least 2017/18. The announcement is not at all surprising as Ministers like…

If you examine Twitter and the various Welfare Reform websites you’ll find there has been quite a bit of recent success achieved on the Tribunal front, by Social Landlord tenants. Much of the focus has been on Scotland in this regard and the decisions made by Judge Simon Collins QC. Although…

Inside Housing ran an article yesterday which caused a number of my clients to contact me seeking some clarification. The article was headed “Universal credit docked to recover rent arrears”. You’ll find the article at: http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/tenancies/universal-credit-docked-to-recover-rent-arrears/6527269.article?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Ocean+Media+&utm_campaign=2615002_IH+Daily+news+10%2f6%2f13&dm_i=1HH2,1K1QY,7UMT62,5C35H,1 I’m sure you’re only too aware; the right to make “third party” deductions for…

Recently it seems, never a day goes by without Government Ministers and the DWP taking a pasting (PAC & NAO reports) over the level of management incompetence; the degree of uncertainty that exists with regards to the timing of its proposed national roll-out; and the apparent huge waste of public…

The DWP in one of its latest “UC toolkit” bulletins confirms there will indeed be “Landlord Managed Payments” including the ability to apply to have Universal Credit “housing costs” redirected from day one, or failing this, after 2 months’ rent arrears have been triggered. However, the bulletin doesn’t really tell…