1 / 7

An LG Group perspective on welfare reform

An LG Group perspective on welfare reform. Mike Heiser. 4 July 2011. Universal Credit – the story so far. Intended to be a monthly payment covering living and housing costs – one per household – digital by default Work has focussed on the online channel

charity-carlson
Download Presentation

An LG Group perspective on welfare reform

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. An LG Group perspective on welfare reform Mike Heiser 4 July 2011

  2. Universal Credit – the story so far • Intended to be a monthly payment covering living and housing costs – one per household – digital by default • Work has focussed on the online channel • Less work so far on telephony and face to face • Delivery initially will be through established structures – likely to mean Job Centre Plus • Could be scope for more local involvement after 2017 – but this provides a challenge for councils’ planning • Proposal for pilots and local delivery – being progressed with DWP • DWP looking for pilots for payment to tenant in social sector • Council tax benefit to be ‘localised’ – current CLG consultation

  3. LG Group position – Universal Credit • Welcome simplification and an easier customer experience • Need for urgent clarification on how the UC delivery model will work – online, telephony and face to face • Effect on different forms of tenancy – private rented, social housing – risk issues from payment to tenant rather than landlord • Make case for continuing role for councils in face to face to contact particularly with ‘complex cases’ • Ensure there is a proper Impact Assessment • Costs to councils of redundancy, system decommissioning • Concern at centralised fraud strategy – but DWP now considering a more local option

  4. Welfare reform and localism • Face to face contact – councils have pioneered innovative ways of working • Central local information exchanges – In and Out of Work, Government Connect • Innovative ways of delivery - shared services - partnerships • Examples of joint working with DWP • Kent Gateway • Central Bedfordshire • Wychavon

  5. Other changes affecting housing benefit • Changes introduced through orders • Caps, 30th percentile, shared room rate, extra room for carers, end of £15 excess • Changes in the Welfare Reform Bill • CPI, overall benefit cap, social housing sector limits – concern by foster carers

  6. Effects on councils • Overall environment – cuts of 28% in real terms over four years; • Significantly front loaded – some districts have grant cuts of over 30% over two years • Redundancies affecting benefit departments • Uncertain future for both HB and CTB • Need to keep business going over changeover period • Different effects on different councils – districts face particularly significant challenges

  7. LGA and advisers • Benefits Steering Group and subgroups • Transitional Working Group • Universal Credit structures • Liaison with CLG on council tax benefit reform

More Related