Information Library

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…

Hi, The political and media spotlight just now is on the Universal Credit fiasco, and rightly so; every day brings another headline. Ian Duncan Smith (IDS) was recalled, earlier this week, by the Work & Pensions Committee, after its Chair and members complained they had been seriously misled by Ministers,…

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…