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Challenging Universal Credit & Housing Benefit Overpayments and Recovery!

Good Morning

This half-day training course is particularly relevant for housing officers, income management professionals, welfare rights advisors, and those working in financial inclusion. The course is aimed at those who assist tenants in claiming and maintaining their Universal Credit, including helping with reporting changes in circumstances, raising queries, and providing support up to and including Mandatory Reconsiderations and appeals.

We explain the significant differences between the DWP and local councils’ approach to overpayments and recovery, highlighting how UC, in most cases, is considerably more punitive than the Council Housing Benefit approach. The session will also explore practical steps that staff can take to support tenants or their organisations in challenging recovery attempts. This includes seeking recovery waivers and the suppression of recovery actions while appeal processes are underway.

Universal Credit & Housing Benefit Overpayments and Recovery

We have organised a focused training event, specifically addressing Universal Credit and Housing Benefit overpayments and recovery. The session will include an in-depth examination of the following topics:

  • How overpayments occur in both Housing Benefit and Universal Credit
  • The significant differences in recoverability rules between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit
  • Requirements for Councils and the DWP to determine culpability and notify both tenants and landlords where Direct Payments apply
  • The DWP’s process for pursuing recovery of alleged debts, even when Mandatory Reconsiderations or appeals are ongoing
  • Methods for challenging overpayments, available to both tenants and landlords
  • The procedure and likely timescale for Mandatory Reconsiderationsand appeals
  • How to lodge an appeal with the Tribunal Service
  • The respective roles of the DWP, appellants, and second respondents in the process
  • Hierarchy of third-party deductions, suppression of recovery, and the Secretary of State’s waiver in cases of hardship

Key objectives and outcomes

Participants will gain an understanding of the different approach to overpayments and recovery adopted by DWP compared to the Council Housing Benefit counterparts, and how this can often impact on rent arrears and the extent of family debt repayments. The course will equip delegates with the knowledge and know-how to implement strategies that should help tenants and organisations affected challenge attempts at recovery and make successful requests for waivers and suspensions on recovery, pending appeal outcomes.

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 First and Upper-tier tribunals where problems can’t be resolved through negotiation.