Agenda item

5.05 pm – Progress Report on Implementation of Universal Credit.

The Cabinet Member for Homes and Customers, the Assistant Cabinet Member, the Customer, Commissioning and Change Manager, the Head of Customer Services and the Operational Benefits Manager presented a progress report to the Committee on the implementation of full service Universal Credit (UC) following the previous report to Committee in July, 2017.

The report outlined the measures taken and the continuing work to support residents claiming or transferring on to UC and to minimise adverse impacts on them, including:

·        Maximising income through reviewing that Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support claimants were receiving the right amount of Employment and Support Allowance and reviewing that UC claimants have claimed Council Tax Support;

·        Use of Discretionary Housing Payments where appropriate;

·        Identifying errors in UC payments;

·        Three officers trained to provide personal budgeting support, with a fourth officer by the end of December;

·        Updated information available via the website, and rents and housing staff trained to be able to advise tenants, to enable claims to be submitted as soon as possible;

·        Assisting claimants to set up e-mails and access the internet at points across the borough;

·        Considering reprofiling of Council Tax payments during the waiting period for UC;

·        Use of the trusted landlord portal (operational from 22 November) to speed up the award of housing costs and requests for managed payments;

·        Engaging with Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to raise general areas of concern;

·        Analysing the impact of UC on rent and Council Tax arrears.

Arising from Members’ questions it was explained that:

·        For claimants on zero hours contracts their income would be assessed in each calendar month and they would need to reapply for UC following any month when their income had exceeded the amount at which UC would be payable;

·        The amount of personal budgeting support and officer resource required would be kept under review as the number of UC claimants increased over the next few years, including training for those staff, such as Tenancy Sustainment Officers and Recovery Officers, who had regular contact with claimants as well as County Council Welfare Rights staff. It was noted that elected Members could signpost and encourage residents to appropriate support;

·        Staveley and Brimington were not due to go on to full service UC until April 2018;

·        Where advance payments were claimed by those who were transferring from other benefits these could be repaid over a 12 month period;

·        Information was being provided on support available, and benefits staff could refer claimants to foodbanks. Printed information was being finalised and it was suggested that this include a QR code to facilitate downloading of up-to-date details. This information could be made available for Members via the Aspire intranet.

The Committee thanked the Head of Customer Services and the Operational Benefits Manager for the proactive work undertaken, and the Chair thanked them, the Cabinet Member, the Assistant Cabinet Member and the Customer, Commissioning and Change Manager for their contribution to the meeting. 

RESOLVED -

(1)     That the report be noted.

(2)     That a progress report be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee in January, 2018.