North West Landlords Forum Universal Credit June 2014 Universal - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

North West Landlords Forum Universal Credit

June 2014

Confident Place, Confident People.

Universal Credit Current position Universal Credit Current position

• Universal Credit live in 10 sites
• North West Expansion Tranche 1 starts in June
• Trafford
• Bolton / Sefton
• Wirrall
• Bury / Preston / South Ribble
• Salford / St Helens / Knowsley
• Couples live in July (non North West live locations)
• Tranche 2 for remaining 22 ‘North West’ Local Authorities late summer
• Change to Gateway in early July for new claims (those on legacy benefits

can make a new claim for UC)

• Families early 2015

Confident Place, Confident People.

Universal Credit Migration Universal Credit Migration

• Developing an ‘End State’ Service
• Balance of old and new technology
• By 2016 all areas of Great Britain for new claims only – no new claims to

existing benefits

• 2017 – Migration starts of existing benefit claimants
• ESA will not be moved over until 2018
• ¼ million per month during migration period

Confident Place, Confident People.

Universal Credit Scope Universal Credit Scope

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Conditionality and Sanctions Conditionality and Sanctions

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Conditionality and Sanctions Conditionality and Sanctions

• Claimants put into four conditionality groups and what level of sanctions

would apply if they do not comply

• Daily amounts of sanctions ranging from £1.80 to £9 per day
• The daily reduction amount will be set to the standard allowance amount

included in the maximum amount i.e. 31 days

• Where the claimant is sanctioned to the maximum amount it will never

reduce the Universal Credit housing element

Confident Place, Confident People.

• Alternative Payment Arrangement made
• 3 types
• Split payment
• More frequent payments
• Housing costs direct to landlord

Alternative Payment Arrangements Alternative Payment Arrangements

Confident Place, Confident People.

Alternative Payment Arrangement – Housing Costs Alternative Payment Arrangement – Housing Costs

• Considered on a case by case basis
• Can be requested by Landlords as well as claimants
• Can be requested from day 1 where a new UC claimant is in existing rent

arrears which will put their tenancy at risk

• 1 month arrears – early intervention, review and make a managed payment

arrangement if appropriate

• 2 months rent arrears – DWP will pay housing element direct to landlord

and if requested recover rent arrears through deductions from their remaining UC payment

Confident Place, Confident People.

Alternative Payment Arrangement – Housing Costs Alternative Payment Arrangement – Housing Costs

• Drug / alcohol and / or other addiction problems e.g. gambling
• Learning difficulties including problems with literacy and/or numeracy
• Severe / multiple debt problems
• In Temporary and / or Supported ‘exempt’ accommodation
• Homeless
• Domestic violence / abuse
• Mental Health condition
• Currently in rent arrears / threat of eviction
• Claimant is young either a 16/17 year old and/or a Care leaver

Confident Place, Confident People.

UC and Housing Costs Progress UC and Housing Costs Progress

• The DWP have made a number of changes to managing housing costs in

Universal Credit: – setting up a dedicated team to manage “alternative payment arrangement” cases; – provision of single point of contact details to local authorities and social landlords through a dedicated phone line; – better designed and simpler notifications and forms; – a new dedicated external email address for social landlords; – seconding a local authority housing benefit expert to the UC service centre; – setting up a dedicated network of named contacts within each local authority within current pilot sites

Confident Place, Confident People.

• New form on www.gov.uk to apply for housing costs to be paid direct
• Contact DWP Service Centre for rent to be paid direct and general enquiries

– 0845 6000 723

• Direct email address for Landlords for specific housing issues – escalate

issues landlords have with APAs and payments. Not for new APA request

• If there is threat of eviction subject field should be noted ‘Potential Eviction’

– Uc.servicecentrehousing@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

• Direct telephone number for Landlords for escalation routes only e.g. no

response from email

– 5 days non complex – 1 day complex

Process – Housing Costs paid Direct Process – Housing Costs paid Direct

Confident Place, Confident People.

Any Questions?