Information Library

The Work and Pensions Committee has just announced it intends to undertake an Inquiry into the provision of support to meet housing costs in the reformed welfare system. Recently the Committee published a report in November 2012 on Universal Credit implementation: meeting the needs of vulnerable claimants. The Government Response was…

Almost every day you’ll find newspaper articles covering protests against: under-occupation penalties; threats of repossession action by councils and RSLs for rent arrears; combined with complaints about new Council Tax charges arising from the less generous Council Tax Reduction scheme which started in April. In Sheffield anti-Bedroom Tax protestors gathered outside…

Earlier this week, the DWP issued its latest circular A14/2013 providing councils with some advice on how the Ashton-under-Lynne Pathfinder will prepare the way for the national roll-out of Universal Credit. The circular is really quite technical, as a whole, so I’ve decided not to attach it nor depress you. But…

In earlier bulletins I’ve commented on the critical importance of Housing Benefit (HB) to RSL revenue streams. With all the attention being focused on the Bedroom Tax and Universal Credit it’s easy to overlook the scheme still has still another 5 years, at least, to run, and probably many more as the…

The DWP confirmed on Monday this week that Personal Independence Payments (PIP), the replacement for DLA for people between 16 and 64, will now be rolled out nationally. Those currently receiving DLA outwith this age band are not affected and so will continue to receive DLA. In contrast, those 16-64…

DWP has just issued a HB circular which provides a breakdown, council by council, of how much of a DWP allocation has been made, and secondly, how much the budget can be increased to with your local council’s support. If you examine Annexe A you’ll see the “Government Funding” column…

The latest newsletter has now been published and is available via the link below. HB Direct February Newsletter (pdf: 28kb)…

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The Welfare Reform Act 2012 – This Act contains provisions and confers regulation-making powers for an integrated working-age benefit to be called universal credit, which, depending on the claimant’s circumstances, will include a standard allowance (to cover basic living costs) along with additional elements for responsibility for children or young persons,…

Universal Credit regulations 2013 – set out the main rules for Universal Credit, including how to assess entitlement, Benefits Unit, elements of the award, Benefit Assessment Pariods, calculation of income and capital, and claimant responsibilities, and also allow for a benefit cap…

These regulations provide for, amongst other things: How and when to make a claim for UC; Effective date of claim; Time within which a claim needs to be completed; Evidence required to support a claim; Payment arrangements, including payment to Third Parties (APAs etc); Withdrawal of claim; How and when…