April 2011 Change Tenure Local No’s Value Details Actions, Communications & Training Impacts/Outcomes Excess benefit removed for new & existing claimants in private rented sector PRS 1,100 Approx. £750K per annum From April 2011 for new customers From anniversary date for existing customers (between April 2011 and March 2012) Letters to all existing customers affected DHP’s not applicable as money over and above rent costs Very little contact from customers – the excess benefit represented money over and above level of housing costs so in theory did not impact on ability to pay rent, although still financial impact. Fully implemented Restriction to 4 room LHA rate for new claimants in the private sector PRS NA NA Demand for social rented Could restrict choice for large families Issues raised with BCH LHA rates will be available on the internet each month Very few existing customers were affected by this change (approximately 12) and consequently did not anticipate that this would impact on large numbers of new customers. Fully implemented LHA calculated on 30th percentile for new claimants in the private sector PRS NA NA The 30th percentile calculation is likely to result in more volatile LHA rates month to month as no longer looking at the mid-point of the local rental market Officers providing advice to tenants have been made aware of the reasons for the fluctuations in the monthly LHA rates Julianne Scarlett Very little contact from new customers regarding this change – assumption is that customers will have chosen properties with rent levels that were in
This was evident from April 2011 although fluctuations have not been significant. coordinating information sharing (JSG & BARLO) * Guidance notes prepared by CHS & include case studies BK to circulate Guidance notes to all internal services & feedback on case work. Guidance notes to be shared with partners at BIAF line with LHA or negotiated rent levels with landlord. Could simply be finding any shortfall. Fully implemented Additional bedroom allowed for overnight care PRS Difficult to predict Max 300 - 400 NA Government have set out the qualifying conditions Carer cannot be a member of the household The additional bedroom must already exist Will generally be tenants in receipt of DLA Care (Middle/Higher) and Attendance Allowance Not time related HB compiled a list of those affected Access Bolton started to phone those affected. However there was a poor response from telephone contact as very few meet the ‘carer’ criteria therefore not continued Advertising on plasma screens in Bolton Hospital commenced in October 2011 PR attended Housing Disability Group meeting & info due to To date only a handful of cases have been identified. This is not time limited, so in the event we come across any cases in the future we will be able to amend benefit back to the appropriate date. Ongoing
be put in Cascade Carers Magazine in September. PR also looking at other publications Introduction of Employment Support Allowance to replace Incapacity Benefit ALL Migration of existing customers is well under way Many being found capable for work Large numbers appealing decisions DWP recently confirmed they have a 4 month backlog Welfare Rights Service representing ever increasing number of customers at tribunal Reasonable number are winning appeal Could continue until 2016 Increased workload for welfare rights Financial loss for customers Welfare Rights are providing representation at the moment so customers have got access to support. Ongoing Increase in ND deduction affecting all tenures All 2800 Approx. £484K per annum Poss increase in demand for single accommodation Advice services need to consider multiple impacts on the individuals eg non dep, shared room rent etc Impact on advice and Housing Services HB sent letters to all BH also sent letters to all customers Gt Places have contacted all tenants on partial HB indicating they may have or be on incapacity benefits CHS have drawn up Guidance notes– See * above Raised with FI Steering Grp on 26/07/11 Action Plan shared with FIF on 23rd Aug where Number of RSL’s have reported increase in arrears as a consequence of this change Work has been carried out to maximise the number of cases where ND would not apply BH has targeted customers with highest ND in place to ensure this is not the result of a failure to provide ND income details Fully implemented
PR provided a breakdown of customers affected in wards to help prioritise FI provision Increase in Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) allocation ALL Budget for 2011/12 is £101K Increased DHP pot but significantly less than the reduction in benefits. Existing criteria is sound U35 changes could impact on DHP Anything left in DHP pot can be carried forward to next year Awareness raising to continue for advice and support services ACTION PR/PS Those applying for DHP and requesting budgeting / debt advice are being referred to Money Skills Subsidised DHP allocation totalling £101K has been spent for 2011/12 Discretionary powers to make payments direct to landlord are extended to enable tenant's to sustain tenancies. PRS NA NA In effect the landlord would need to be able to demonstrate that they had reduced a previously high rent to a reasonable rent level (generally in line with LHA rates). Picked up at the BARLO forum on 8th September 2012 (previously revised awareness prior to changes). Julianne Scarlett is coordinating information sharing NB Need to ensure that any decisions are based on documented negotiation with the landlord. This is ongoing but has enable us to make some additional direct payments helping to secure and sustain tenancies Introduction of 4 room LHA PRS 12 Approx. £21K per 12 cases affected – approx £35 per week HB written to all cases HB liaised with BK to This has only started to impact in January 2012
restriction for existing customers annum Transitional protection Potential for any other changes to have an impact provide additional housing advice BK worked with PR and Julianne to examine profile for 12 cases Little response to date therefore PR to arrange telephone contact and be proactive with Housing Advice (Julianne & BK) PR to share L/L details with Julianne / LC to check if known to us Possible liaison with L/L (with tenants permission) will depend on tenants relationship with L/L Looking to provide home visits & individual contact The 12 families affected will be impacted at different times during 2012 Fully implemented Introduction of 30th percentile calculation for existing customer PRS 5500 (450 per month) Approx. £1.4M per annum In most cases will start to impact with effect from January 2012 unless tenants change address or have a change in household that affects LHA rate, Losses range between £5 and £13 per week, but in Mailshot campaign started in Autumn 2011 This will continue on a rolling basis throughout 2012 to ensure that customers are contacted in advance of the change occurring e.g. mailshot in Too early to gauge – although initial signs are that landlords are in some cases taking a hit or failing to collect the shortfall May be a slow burn as in many cases will take months before the
most cases no more than £5 per week. October 2011 to those affected in January 2012. Julianne is coordinating information sharing (JSG & BARLO) Julianne to work with PRS Joint Services Group re evidence and further actions in relation to front line services. Guidance notes drawn up – See * above tenant has accrued the equivalent of 8 weeks arrears. Fall-out from this has not been as significant as anticipated with most tenants appearing to find the shortfall – in most cases £5 per week. Fully implemented January 2012 Introduction of shared accommodation rate for under 35's PRS 390 Approx. £660K per annum Lose approx £33per week from Jan 2012 Increase demand on social rented impact on housing Advice Services Impact on DHP Will impact at the same time as the 30th percentile Will now be worked out on anniversary dates so will be staggered as claimants will have additional protection carried over Access Bolton assisted with an outbound telephone call campaign in Autumn 2011 – this did not prove to be successful as very few customers answered calls. Mailing campaign commenced in Autumn 2011. Pre tenancy advice is being provided by HAS and Bond Board A consultation was launched by The Social Security Advisory This remains a major concern – 6 customers impacted in January Identified 9 customers who turn 35 during 2012 and will be covering shortfall with DHP until 35th birthday All customers were written to with DHP claims included DHP’s awarded in most cases for a 3 month period Customers also referred to the Help With Rent Team for more detailed
SB & LC are preparing an advice sheet on tenancy agreements – joint v individual Further presentation to NWLA on 7th February 2012 will cover U35’s Text campaign due to commence – delivered by Access Bolton April 2012 Further increase in deductions ALL 2800 £484 in year 1 so expecting similar losses in year 2 – cumulative loss on this basis would be £968K Benefits service will be notifying affected customers at year end – March 2012. This will represent the second increase of 4 planned increases between April 2011 and April 2014 Implemented Further increase in DHP allocation ALL £200K for 2012/13 Likely to be a larger increase than 2011/12 as most of the changes will impact in 2012/13. Additional monies put in are likely to be used for U35 Figures have been released for 2012/13 and Bolton has been allocated £201K. Likely that additional funding will be added to this pot – may have up to £300K for 2012/13. DHP pot exhausted by the end of 2012/13 – this was the result we were looking for as aim was to spend all allocated funds.
Publicity will continue both directly and through partners. LHA rates will be frozen with effect from April 2012 PRS Over 6,000 LHA NA This is in preparation for future uprating using the CPI Government state it will provide more consistently and transparency removing uncertainty for customers Need to ensure that this is communicated to relevant groups – PR will be speaking to both NWLA and BARLO over the next few weeks about this change. Fully implemented – as this did not technically result in a decrease in existing benefit entitlement impacts seem to have been absorbed April 2013 Further increase in DHP allocation ALL NA £627K for 2013/14 Represents a further £427K per year – but small compared to bedroom tax loss. Aim is to spend full allocation Figures have been released for 2013/14 and Bolton has been allocated £627K. Publicity will continue both directly and through partners. As always the strategy will be to spend the full £627K allocation by the end of the financial year. £190K committed by end of quarter 1 Introduction of size criteria in the social rented sector (Working age only) SRS 3,400 Approx. £2.2M per annum 14% reduction for those under occupying by 1 room and 25% for those under-occupying by 2 rooms or more Average loss in Bolton will be £12 per week – compares to national average of £14. Information shared with partners Major data sharing exercise to ensure we hold the correct room data Most Registered Landlords have amended letting policies to try and fit properties to customers Significant increase in DHP applications and spend – for quarter one of 2013/14 projected budget based on previous year profile is £270K and we have spent £190K Approximately 50% of DHP claims being refused – many
using the CPI rather than RPI benefit. when it is received. most customers will have seen some losses – again money that customers have never had before so not technically a decrease in existing benefits. Introduction of a localised Council Tax Benefit scheme (working age only) ALL 2,800 Approx £370K per annum Based on funding reduction for Bolton impact a total of £3m needed to be saved Members took the decision to find £2.5M from other areas and implement a £500K reduction for existing CTB customers DCLG then made an additional £100M available in the form of a grant that LA’s had to bid for – Bolton successfully bid and received a £500K grant This will be used to reduce overall savings level and provide a Council Tax Reduction Scheme Total loss for 2013/14 is approximately £370K 6 areas of legislation changed under Bolton’s local scheme Extensive communication to all partners and customers notified as part of the year end process Over 90% of CTB customers unaffected by the new scheme so communication targeted at the 2,800 affected Successfully managed as a separate project Fully implemented by year end – February 2013 Letters sent to all affected customers Council Tax Reduction Scheme in place (operates similar to DHP’s) with a total budget of £400K Take up of CTR very low at the moment with approximately 20 cases at a cost of £2K Recent analysis shows that many of the 2,800 customers impacted by changes have been minimally impacted if you compare their average CTB annual award in 2012/13 to their annual award in 2013/14
Letter to customer will include a link to online DHP form October 2013 Universal Credit introduced for working-age new claimants - all tenures ALL Range of issues including direct payments, budgeting and frequent changes to entitlement based on a real time PAYE system Unclear if PAYE system will be ready in time for UC HB to be embedded into pension credit DWP claim is going to happen Currently approx.. 17% of claims are made on line It is anticipated that 90% will be online 1 pilot site from April 2013 (Tameside), 1 from 1st July (Wigan) and 2 from 31st July (Warrington and Oldham) Bolton will be keeping close eye on progress of GM pilots Lobster Pot approach means that once on UC remain on UC so could get some customers migrating for other pilot sites but not anticipating high numbers Only 6 further pilot sites from October 2013 Inverness Shotton Hammersmith Bath Harrogate Rugby This represents just 1.5% of all job centres nationally £420M spent on project so far IT being built again to take advantage of new technology HMRC real time system not up and running Direct payment pilots extended to September 2013 Now digital as appropriate rather than digital by default Unlikely we will see many cases locally until April 2014