OUR APPROACH TO WELFARE REFORM A PRACTICAL GUIDE

Transcription

1 OUR APPROACH TO WELFARE REFORM A PRACTICAL GUIDE Scottish Housing Best Value Network September 2013 Martin Frost Deputy Chief Executive Julie Vickers Director of Business Support

2 A BRIEF TOUR OF Where we are What we know What we ve got to achieve What we ve been doing What we d like to do

3 CHALLENGES FOR HOUSEHOLDS Bedroom Tax April 2013 Universal Credit - 29 th April 2013 Benefit Cap mid July 2013 PIP June 2013 Council Tax Support April 2013 CHALLENGES FOR US

4 ONE WAY OF LOOKING AT THINGS WE RE DOOMED

5 ... AND ANOTHER

6 BETTER SEEN AS A CHALLENGE... AND AN OPPORTUNITY

7 TENANTS HAVE TOLD US Response Access to a bank account 93% 93% Using bank account all the time 57% 51% Using overdraft regularly 33% 33% Have long term debt/loans 27% 31% Use licensed doorstep lenders 20% 23% Use loan sharks 4% 2% Have no savings 68% 72% Don't know what a Credit Union is 57% 82% Don't know where to get advice 21% 34% No Home Contents Insurance 52% 55% Not enough money to manage 19% 27% Have money worries 48% 59% Access to the internet in the home 43% 48% Budget well 88% 84%

8 OUR OWN WORK TELLS US Money Care Service Debt Advice

9 OUR OWN WORK TELLS US Money Care Service Welfare Benefit Advice

10 THE CUSTOMER IMPACT STARTING FROM 1,288 9% of disposable income Source: Save the Children Fund

11 BEDROOM TAX IMPACT - THE FIRST 18 WEEKS Bedroom Tax Stock Numbers 18,879 Bedroom Tax cases 1,960 Weekly HB Reduction 28, Annual HB reduction 1,433, Amount due first 18 weeks 517, Amount Collected 383, Collection rate 74.18% Arrears cases March 740 Arrears cases August 1,385 % Increase in arrears cases 87.16%

12 THE CUSTOMER IMPACT PAYMENT PREFERENCE PAYMENT METHOD NEW CHARTER HOMES Transactions Unit Amount 2012/ / /13 Transaction Value '000 Post Office 4,997 82,667 73, Standing Order 3,807 43,513 49, Direct Debit 4,194 33,952 40, Cash Payment 329 1,744 1, Credit / Debit Card (Automated) 1,993 9,382 13, Credit / Debit Card (Manual) 1,253 6,652 6, Paypoint 3,655 55,891 60, Rent Collection (Door to Door) 97 3,354 2, Internet 662 4,724 4, DSS Direct payment 39 3,493 3, Rent from Wages TOTAL 21, , ,830 82

13 PREPARING THE BUSINESS PROCESSES PERCEPTIONS PEOPLE PERFORMANCE

14 ACHIEVING THE BUSINESS PLAN WHAT WE HAVE TO DO 400, , , , , ,000 Base 100,000 50, / / / / / /39

15 GETTING GOING A positive approach demands organisation wide thinking this is not just credit control

16 thinking BIG... WORKING PRACTICES Access all areas Wiser working Money In... Evictions Out I ve got the power

17 SWAT

18 SWAT CONNECTING WITH TENANTS

19 MANAGING THE IMPACT

20 THE UNIVERSAL BUS TOUR

21 WHAT WE VE BEEN DOING Leaky pot Increased staff resource Responsibility NSP, arrears write off Advance rents Review of pre-tenancy support Mobile working Expected payment facility

22 WHAT WE VE BEEN DOING Allocations review My Home Finance Texting Budgeting programme MiNT Paperless DD Staff resilience Rent Statements online

23 GREAT OPPORTUNITIES 20 apprentices 30 work placements 137 households - family support programme 100 residents in time banking project 6 work clubs 58 into paid employment

24 UC PATHFINDER WHAT WE KNOW Began 29 th April months on 12 tenants receiving UC Clear responsibility lies with the tenant Key Issue arising - Data sharing Working with DWP / NHF Local relationships building with JCP

25 WORKING TOGETHER WORKING WITH OTHERS

26 UNIVERSAL CREDIT - OUR ROLE AS A LANDLORD? Verification Advice and information Getting people on line

27 WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP Easy access to request alternative payment arrangements Influence in relation to alternative payment arrangements Full engagement in the migration process Joined up communication process

28 For any further information please contact: