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Hitting the DWP brick wall!

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,…

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Universal Credit - Housing Costs element

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…

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DWP

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…

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Universal Credit - 12 new council areas to start process as soon as June 2014!

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…

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Universal Credit Rollout - Net being widened from July!

 

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…

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Discretionary Housing Payments - Scottish RSLs rejoice; English/Welsh left livid and bewildered!

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…

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Universal Credit - Keeping pace with the ever-changing environment?

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…

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