Training, Courses and Face-to-face Consultancy

Aim & Objectives

All our workshops are delivered by Bill Irvine, a highly experienced benefits expert and welfare rights advocate. He was Head of Benefits, Revenues & Advice services at one of the UK’s largest councils and local government advisor to the Housing Benefit Standing Committee, Westminster. Bill also gave both oral and written evidence to the Work & Pensions Committee’s investigation into LHA; the private sector HB scheme. In 2012 he was asked by CIH to help run its Bedroom Tax and Universal Credit courses UK-wide.

The workshops aim to help delegates attending:

• Fully appreciate all of the key welfare reform changes
• Consider the changes already made and the impact they’re having
• The likely timescale to Universal Credit becoming operational
• How tenants and landlords can mitigate the worst effects of the changes and protect both the tenancy and revenue streams of landlords
• How to challenge the poor practices of council & DWP administration at both local level and before first-tier tribunals
• How to formulate complaints to DWP and the relevant Government Ombudsman.

The tutor aims to engage with delegates and encourage their participation throughout. Delegates all receive a copy of the training materials used. Our testimonials demonstrate the effectiveness of these sessions.

Most courses are delivered in-house either for single organisations (CIH, RLA, RSLs) or a group of Social landlords anxious to share the cost and ensure the training is delivered locally, thus avoiding costly travelling expenses.