Middlesbrough Universal Credit conference 3rd October 2018 - Thirteen
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Middlesbrough Universal Credit
conference
3rd October 2018
Middlesbrough Universal
Credit conference
3rd October 2018
Welcome from Chris Smith
Executive Director of Service Delivery and Development, Thirteen
Middlesbrough Universal Credit conference Background – Intro to the Event Angela Corner, Senior Tenancy Support Service Manager, Thirteen
Impact of Universal Credit Philip Thompson, Welfare Support Team, Hartlepool Borough Council
Context • Hartlepool is a small coastal town with a population of c92,000 • 34% of our children and young people live in poverty compared to 21% nationally • More than half of our children that live in poverty are in a family where at least one adult works (56%) • 69% of families have no savings and are unable to cope in a crisis • Hartlepool continues to be significantly worse off through Welfare Reform – estimated at £42 million pa.
Universal Credit • In December 2016 Hartlepool became a full digital service UC town • The vast majority of our new working age benefit claims are online UC claims – some exceptions apply • There has been lots of teething problems and we continue to work on our relationship with DWP.
Typical UC problems... For the client: • Sanctions • Advance Payments • Managing month to month • Housing element not paid to landlord For us: • Unable to talk directly to DWP • Hit and miss notification of UC awards • Clerical errors take a long time to resolve
What are we seeing? • Impact of welfare reform has taken hold • Universal Credit having a real impact • Rising demand for Foodbank and food support • Daily requests to the council for gas, electricity, clothing • Repetitive requests for help with shortfalls in rent (DHP) • Significant levels of debt (lots of ‘small’ amounts); some evidence of illegal money lending • Significant eviction referrals with rent arrears totalling in excess of £1500 - £4000 per family • Increased pressure on statutory services.
What have we got in place to help? • Housing Advice Team / Welfare Support Team and The Children’s Hub all together • Local Welfare Support Scheme – ‘crisis fund’ • Discretionary Housing Payments • S17 (Children Act) • Greggs Foundation Grant • Foodbank • Food network • Free school uniform • Help and support from the VCS
Local Welfare Support Scheme • Hartlepool has a Local Welfare Support Scheme – budget this year is £193,618 • ‘In Crisis’ support; energy top ups, food and clothing vouchers, etc - we do not give cash • ‘Non crisis’ support – furniture, white goods, carpets, household goods etc • Everyone is offered some form of help; signposting to money management, debt advice, where to get free food etc.
2017/18 LWS activity
Number of LWS ‘in Number of ‘non Total number of Total number of
crisis’ requests crisis’ requests crisis applications LWS requests
approved
2,324 1,208 3,532 793
NB excludes other forms of support including Greggs Foundation Grants, Foodbank,
free food network and charity supportTrussell Trust Foodbank 2017/18
Number of adults assisted Number of children Total number of foodbank
assisted vouchers issued by our
team
1,905 891 1,460
From April 2018 to date (26 weeks) our team has issued 900 FBV
NB Excludes other forms of free food support available in Hartlepool and vouchers
issued by CAB, Probation and Housing
NB primary reasons for accessing foodbank: UC, benefit delay, sanctionsOutreach: we work in partnership with other organisations tackling in and out of work poverty: JRF - Hartlepool’s £1m Challenge to reduce food, electric, gas and water costs & increase benefit uptake – money in the pocket Food and Fuel Fairs – Advocates, DHP, LWS, School uniform and Hartlepool Food Network
Learning from Thirteen - Housing Perspective Lisa Graham – UC Support Team Leader
Thirteen’s UC Experience
• Live Service - 2013
• Full Service – 2016 - Hartlepool Dec 16
Stockton July 18
• New Claims Data:
July – Hartlepool 64, Stockton 87
August – Hartlepool 47, Stockton 164
September – Hartlepool 48, Stockton 161
• Live To Full Service Migration – Stockton Sept 18 /
Middlesbrough approx. Dec 18 ??Main Challenges for Thirteen • Rent Collection & ‘built-in’ rent arrears • Managing Individual Assessment Periods & Payment Dates • Understanding Different Processes – Live & Full • Communicating with UC - ‘explicit consent’ • Unable to Report Rent Changes – ‘Housing’ • Untidy Tenancy Issues • Successions – ‘Permission to Occupy’ / ‘Use & Occupation’ • Sanctions • Claims incorrectly closed
Portal – Digital Rent Verification Positves Prompt Notification / Early Intervention Landlord identified by property upload Quicker & Easier than email / SRS process No more missing requests APA Process easier Trusted Partner Status = APAs always accepted
Portal – Digital Rent Verification Negatives No UC claim date Not a communication tool Cannot retrieve data once submitted Duplicate Requests Data must match Portal Data Delays in APA decisions Cannot stop APAs
Alternative Payment Arrangements • Issue 1 : Landlord not paid same day claimant • Issue 2 : Paid on schedules ran 4 weekly not monthly • Issue 3 : payment references not updated for COAs (if same landlord) Re: Issue 3 - can complete an ‘ePRS03’ form, but issue often continues - advise claimant to report issue via journal.
UC Support Team – supporting new claimants up
to first payment date
Getting Claim Right Waiting Period Payment Date
• Help make claim/check claim
• Educate on UC processes / mitigate • Food and Utilities - help access
impact crisis support
• Book ID appointment • Other financial assistance – apply
• Help complete ‘To-Do’s’ for furniture packs, white goods • Check UC award & take rent
• Obtain payment date & etc, where eligible payment
assessment period information • Advance – apply if unavoidable • Agree & set up future payment
• ‘Housing Costs’ declared correctly • Provide budgeting advice to keep methods eg. DD
• Identify bedroom tax issues advance to minimum • Continue support until ongoing
• Apply for LA DHP • Continue education on UC UC issues resolved
• Identify & address other potential processes /claimant control • Record date ‘Managed Payment’
issues – non deps, health, WCA • Continue to identify due date, period covered for
• Identify vulnerability & apply for ‘vulnerability’ recovery processes
‘APA’ • Identify & report welfare rights • Advise on ‘claim management’
• HB – maximized + 2 week run on issues • Promote Money Advice Team
• Apply for Council Tax Support • Re-confirm UC entitlement, rent for future support
• Refer to Money Advice Team for liability & expectations
help with legacy benefit issues • Refer for Money Advice Team for
• Discuss UC entitlement, rent help with legacy benefit issues
liability & expectations • Update Neighbourhood Officer
• Inform Neighbourhood OfficerWorth a Mention:
Migration : Live to Full Service & Managed
Migration - strict timeline to respond
EEA nationals – satisfying ‘R2R’
Intention to ClaimUniversal Credit
Specific Impacts on Middlesbrough and
the Council
Mark Symmonds
Support Services Manager
3rd October 2018Agenda
Impact on Council Tax Collection
Impact on HB & Council Tax Reduction Caseload
Expected UC Volumes
Digital Claiming
Predicted Demand
Universal Support
Personal Budgeting Support
Payment waiting times
Impact on Support Services / Hardship Funds
Managed Migration of existing UC claims
MBC Preparations so farImpact on Council Tax Collection Some significant issues which make collection of Council Tax more difficult Waiting times for UC ≠ timely payment of Council Tax Any UC ‘losers’ have less income to pay Fluctuating income means Council Tax recovery continually reset Deductions of Council Tax debt from UC – low priority on list of attachments Newcastle CC experience (full service since May ‘16) Overall ‘in year’ collection for Council Tax 2017/18 was 96.9% C Tax collection rate for those on CTR with universal credit is 72.9%
Cancelling Housing Benefit claims and
recalculating Council Tax Reduction
Housing Benefit cannot be paid when UC is in payment
Staff in Revenues and Benefits will be contacted by DWP and
asked to cancel HB
When UC is claimed, this does not automatically lead to a
Council Tax Reduction (CTR) Claim
Claimant MUST claim CTR;
https://www.middlesbrough.gov.uk/benefits-and-council-tax/housing-benefit-
and-council-tax-reduction/make-claim-online
Council are reviewing processes to make it easier to get CTRCTR Caseload – Newcastle CC
CTR Full Caseload 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 At 31.05.18
CTR Full Caseload 33,134 31,938 30,842 30,978 32,306
Year on year change - 1,196 1,096 -136 -1,328
Overall is a reduction over 3 years 828
Working Age
Caseload 20,293 19,824 19,229 19,920 21,344
Year on year change - 469 595 -691 -1,424
Overall is an increase over 3 years -1,051
Pension Age
Caseload 12,841 12,114 11,613 11,058 10,962
Year on year change - 727 501 555 96
Overall is a reduction over 3 years 1,879
26Newcastle Working Age HB Caseload Reduction
Working Age Caseload
22000
20000
18000
Axis Title
16000
Working Age Caseload
14000
12000
10000Oldham – Decrease in HB Caseload
OLDHAM ACTUAL WORKING AGE CASELOAD
14000
13000
12000
11000
10000
9000
8000
7000
6000
5000
Apr-17 May-17 Jun-17 Jul-17 Aug-17 Sep-17 Oct-17 Nov-17 Dec-17 Jan-18 Feb-18 Mar-18 Apr-18 May-18200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
0
03.04.2017
10.04.2017
17.04.2017
24.04.2017
01.05.2017
08.05.2017
15.05.2017
22.05.2017
29.05.2017
05.06.2017
12.06.2017
19.06.2017
26.06.2017
03.07.2017
10.07.2017
17.07.2017
24.07.2017
31.07.2017
07.08.2017
14.08.2017
21.08.2017
28.08.2017
04.09.2017
11.09.2017
18.09.2017
25.09.2017
02.10.2017
09.10.2017
16.10.2017
23.10.2017
30.10.2017
06.11.2017
13.11.2017
20.11.2017
27.11.2017
04.12.2017
11.12.2017
18.12.2017
25.12.2017
01.01.2018
08.01.2018
Oldham – Increase in workload
15.01.2018
22.01.2018
29.01.2019
05.02.2018
Oldham Council - UC Documents received by HB Service April 2017-18
12.02.2018
19.02.2018
26.02.2018
05.03.2018
12.03.2018
19.03.2018
26.03.2018Impacts in Oldham – Volume of UC claims
400
Average UC Claims per week 2013 - 2017 - Oldham
Average number of UC Claims per week
350
300
UC FULL Service
250
200 UC LIVE Service
150
100
50
0
1 Jan 2017 27 April
Jul - Dec Jan - Dec Jan - Dec Jan - Dec
to 26 April 2017 - 31 Jun-17 Jul-17 Aug-17 Sep-17
2013 2014 2015 2016
2017 May 2017
Average UC Claims per week 78 109 161 153 153 265 268 325 328 346Digital Claiming
Digital Support for New UC Claims in Access Oldham
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
New UC Claims in Access OldhamImpact on residents claiming Universal Credit –
Digital Claiming
Digital System
Average claim around 1 hour
Max time 3 hours
Couples – time issue / joining up claims
Have to have an email account
Identity verification
Claiming and managing the UC claim on line
Will be sent tasks for completion
Security access to get into account (16 digit ID)
The Council is a partner with DWP to support on-line claiming and
journal useMiddlesbrough – Digital Support
Middlesbrough House provides full digital support to residents
Support also available in council hubs and various council / partner front line
services
Support ranges from how to log on, to making a full application
Also offer support to register for an email account
Full digital map created showing support available throughout the
town and where located – available on Council Website
Follow on support available to help customers in making the
transition to using digital services
MBC’s Adult Education Service
ACTES – Accredited Digital CourseUC Assisted Digital Support
Impact on residents claiming Universal Credit –
Digital Claiming
• Press article 12.05.18 - FOI
• 1 in 5 UC applicants turned
down for failure to complete
process
• Failed to book an initial
interview by calling
helpline within 1 week of
claim
• UC applicant failed to
sign their ‘Claimant
CommitmentImpact on residents claiming Universal Credit –
Personal Budgeting Support
Personal Budgeting Support (PBS) is about helping claimants
manage their money and pay their bills on time as they transition
onto Universal Credit
The three key changes that Universal Credit brings are:
A single household payment
A monthly payment
Rent paid direct to the claimant
The 2 main elements of PBS are:
Money advice to help manage money on a monthly basis
Alternative Payment Arrangements
Delivered by Middlesbrough Council HB Client TeamImpact on residents claiming Universal Credit –
Payment waiting times
Waiting times for a payment
Minimum 5 to 6 weeks for first payment but could be longer – customers need to
claim an Advanced Payment to avoid waiting
Advanced payment can be up to 1 full months award (including housing costs)
Advanced payment needs to be repaid (up to 12 months) therefore potentially
causing ongoing hardship
UC Build of claim – segmented
Work and Pensions secretary David Gauke – some claimants have to wait 10
weeks for their money, telling a Commons inquiry that 81% were now receiving
their benefit in full within 6 weeks. It means 19% - almost 1 in 5 are not
Latest data published on waiting times – Feb 2018 (published July 2018) – 83%
paid in full on time (i.e. after 5 weeks of claim), 97% paid in 13 weeks.
Any delays in UC payment may mean residents default on certain
financial responsibilities such as council tax, rent, gas electricity etc.Impact on residents claiming Universal Credit –
Support Services & Hardship Funds
Increased referrals to support services and hardship
funds,
Foodbank,
Welfare Rights,
CAB,
Homelessness,
Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP)
DHP Claims – UC will not take a claim and forward on
Local Welfare Provision
Advanced Payments should be claimed prior to claiming from a
hardship fund
Section 17 paymentsImpact on residents claiming Universal Credit
–
Managed Migration
Usually starts 13 weeks after ‘go live’
Existing UC claimants on ‘Live’ service will have to claim
UC ‘Full’ service
Soon (2019-2020 ?), all legacy benefits affected by UC will
transfer on to Universal Credit
39Middlesbrough – Preparations
DWP implementation meetings
Fortnightly discussions from 2 May 2018 onwards
2-way open and honest discussions
To continue until “go live” ……… and beyond
Steering Group with reps from
Adult Services
Children’s Services
Internal Communications
Welfare Rights
Community Safety
Community Hubs
Financial Inclusion Group
Revenues and BenefitsMiddlesbrough – Preparations Briefing sessions Members briefing 9 staff briefings delivered throughout August 2018 across the town - ensuring internal staff fully aware of Universal Credit Mop up briefing yesterday Taking part in today’s seminar Updated webpages with links to www.gov.uk Database created of staff contacts for ongoing UC developments and clarifications
Middlesbrough – Preparations
FAQ’s
Document created with list of top 10 FAQ’s likely to be queries by
residents
Document given out at every briefing session for internal staff
Will be available in all Hubs / customer centre
“Live” document and will be frequently updatedIN SUMMARY
HB will end (eventually) for the majority of claimants
Volumes of UC claimants will be much higher than at
present
Digital Claiming – some difficulties but support available
Personal Budgeting Support – available from Council
Waiting times could be longer than at present
Hardship funds – know what can be claimed and how
MAKE SURE COUNCIL TAX SUPPORT IS
CLAIMED
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