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Good morning

Esther McVey, Secretary of State for Work & Pensions made a statement last week to the House of Commons relating to the Full Service rollout programme which appears to have been misunderstood.

What she announced was a temporary slowdown in the rollout of the “Managed or forced migration”…

Hi

The RLA’s Policy Officer, Natalie Williamson issued the following news report last week highlighting DWP has, at long last, decided to permit you direct access to your tenant’s Case Manager, when you have concerns over mounting rent arrears and possible legal action for recovery.

It’s hoped the new…

Good afternoon As “Full Service” delivery expands, and the numbers of claims increase, DWP’s administration is already failing, with even the simplest of tasks. Landlord clients are increasingly raising complaints of DWP agreeing Managed Payment to Landlord (MPTL), commonly called APAs, only to later renege on the promise, when the…

Good morning

I was asked recently by one of my Twitter @Billirvine17 followers to clarify two situations with regards to:

a) 18-21-year olds access to UC “housing costs”; and

b) the position of Temporary Homeless accommodation tenants, again in relation to their housing costs eligibility.

As I was equally in…

Good afternoon

Earlier today, Government announced, that after its lengthy consultation with stakeholders, it has decided to continue providing financial support for long & short-term “Supported Accommodation” through the welfare benefits system (Housing Benefit).

Full details of the announcement can be found here

David Orr, Chief Executive of the…

Good morning

As I’m sure you’re aware, under Housing Benefit/LHA rules there are a number of scenarios where tenants and family members can be absent from home for weeks/months without any adverse effect on the household HB/LHA entitlement, Some, but not all of these concessions, are available, as well, under…

Good morning

In one of my recent posts I explained, how one of my Housing Association clients, with some assistance from me, secured payment from DWP, for its mistake of paying Universal Credit’s “Housing Costs” to a “friend” of the tenant, only for him to misuse the money, putting the…

Good morning

The following link https://www.lgo.org.uk/decisions/benefits-and-tax/housing-benefit-and-council-tax-benefit/17-012-147#point2 relates to a Local Government Ombudsman decision, relating to Housing Benefit (LHA), and the failure of Liverpool City Council to fulfil its earlier decision, to redirect payments to the Landlord, rather than the tenant, by naming the landlord “payee”. The decision to do so,…

Good morning DWP has just published, through what is known as a “Commencement Order”, a list of the areas in GB which will transition to “Full Service” delivery, between February to April 2018. You may already be aware of an approximate date from your local authority, but, I would recommend…

Good morning

In a few of my earlier bulletins, I refer to the process of making formal complaints to the DWP and have highlighted cases where landlord clients have followed my advice, only to be effectively ignored by DWP. On Wednesday, last week, I received a referral from one of…