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Managed Migration, Transitional Protection & associated areas of scheme

Good morning

DWP hopes to complete the last stage of its “managed” or “forced” migration of legacy benefit recipients, by March 2025. During the past 6 months, the focus has been on Tax Credit recipients, with 500,000 being notified. Between now and March 2025 most of the remaining “legacy benefit” recipients will also have migrated. A small percentage, claiming ESA, will avoid the need to transfer until 2028.

Around 70% of your working-age tenants, who were claiming Income Support (IS), JSA (IR), Working Tax Credits (WTC), and Housing Benefits, have already transferred, either by choice or due to changes in their circumstances. Other groups, including those topping up their low earnings, with Working Tax Credits, have been receiving MM notices, giving them 3 months to make their transition to UC. So far, around 25% of those WTC claimants notified, have failed to claim within the 3-month window, double the expected rate and a cause for concern, as legacy benefits are automatically ended.

This course examines how this most complicated stage, should operate; the importance of tenants claiming UC in advance of set deadlines; what happens if they don’t; and how the Transitional Protection (TP) scheme, could, if administered correctly, mitigate some of the losses that would otherwise be experienced. However, there are already expressions of concern about DWP staff assessing awards of TP manually and inaccurately – not good!

By the end of the session, delegates should fully understand the process, the implications of responding to notices, within the deadlines, the importance of mitigating losses by securing transitional protection, and the implications for both tenants and housing providers.

If you’re interested in organising such an event, please email linzi@ucadvice.co.uk or bill@ucadvice.co.uk.

Regards

Bill Irvine

UC Advice & Advocacy Ltd

Telephone 07733 080 389 or 01698 424301

Programme

Content:

*Which groups will receive a MM Notice first?

*Are single claimants treated differently to couples?

*How long have they got to respond and what MUST they do to ensure entitlement?

*What happens if they don’t respond by 3 month deadline, detailed on Notice, do they get a 2nd chance?

*Can the claim be backdated in the event of failure to comply?

*What’s meant by “2 week run-on” and who does this apply to?

*What is Transitional Protection; who does it apply to; how long does it last; how is it calculated?

*What’s happened so far, in terms of problems, like late or no claims being made?

*How to ensure tenants are well aware of this critical change and how best to avoid difficulties later on.

*How to deal with tenants who mistakenly believe, they don’t need to transfer to UC or are concerned by any aspect of having to claim UC and give up their legacy award.

Who should attend?

Any member of staff (Housing officers, assistancts, WROs, Money Advice, Finacial Inclusion), who has responsibility for assisting tenants make claims on time, and deal with any problems associated with this, plus rent collection/arrears staff, who deal with the consequences of claims being suspended, cancelled making it difficult for tenant to honour his/her contractual obligations.

Bill Irvine

Bill spent 30 years in local government, holding senior positions in Social Work, Housing & Finance. He left as Head of Housing Services (Benefits, Revenues & Advice) at one of the UK’s largest councils. In 2010 he set up a new consultancy business “Housing Benefit Advice & Advocacy” offering advice, training, and advocacy to Councils, RSL’s and private landlords throughout the UK.

Since January 2012 he has been at the forefront of Universal Credit training for both SRS and Private Sector landlords, on behalf of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), individual Housing Associations, Charitable & Volunatary bodies, GB wide.

He now owns and operates www.universalcreditadvice.com. publishes regular updating bulletins on Universal Credit to more than 1300 registered subscribers and represents both tenant and landlords at Fist and Upper-tier tribunals where problems can’t be resolved through negotiation.