Budget Busting. March Housing Systems. hbnotes. ucnotes

Transcription

1 Budget Busting March 2016 hbnotes ucnotes Housing Systems

2 Budget Busting Introductions Expectations Informal to a limit! Jot down when you have learnt something new

3 Housing Benefit What s changing and when?

4 2016: Housing Benefit Backdating Going Abroad Less for new claiming family Benefit Cap reduced 2017: Limit to two children for some 2018: Capped at LHA rates

5 Housing Benefit - Backdating Backdating 6 months for working age (good cause) 3 months if PC age (automatic) BUT From 1 st April 2016 will reduce to one month From date of request

6 Housing Benefit - Backdating From date of request ACT NOW! Can request claim made several weeks or months ago be backdated, or Make new claim now for period in past. Will need to have good cause. Overall limit 6 months.

7 Housing Benefit - Backdating Example: Fiona normally works full time and her wages mean that she is not entitled to HB. But over Christmas she was unwell and had several weeks off work sick. She only got paid SSP and still hasn t caught up with the arrears that built up because she couldn t afford to pay the rent.

8 Housing Benefit - Backdating Typical situations when you may be wanting a backdate?

9 Housing Benefit - backdating Backdating alternatives: Was previous claim ended correctly? Unreasonable request for info / Info available on CIS Due to JSA sanction etc, etc Claim made at JC but never passed to HB Can provide info now and within month of claim being terminated New claim can be treated as a request to revise decision to end previous claim Closed period supersession instead

10 Housing Benefit Closed period supersessions HB Circular A6/ CIS/2595/03 when a person has had a change of circumstances which has already ended the correct way of dealing with any period of non-entitlement is by way of a closed period supersession. A claimant does not need to make a new claim if you discover that there was no entitlement for a fixed period within an award. The award may be superseded for that period and the supersession only replaces the original decision to that extent.

11 HB: Closed period Supersessions Examples. Trevor s IR-JSA was terminated as he d failed to sign on without good cause. He claimed again a few days later but there was a gap in JSA entitlement. On receiving this info the HB Office checked the CIS system and found he was back on IR-JSA. He has failed to provide any information regarding his income for this gap period. The HB Office has just found out that Joyce worked for a couple of weeks back in February she got a temping job. But she is now back on Jobseekers Allowance.

12 Housing Benefit - Backdating Prevention: What can we do to prevent need for backdate? Cure: Backdating Tool Kit.

13 Housing Benefit Going Abroad Going abroad HB can remain in payment if back within 13 weeks BUT From 1 st April 2016 will reduce to 4 weeks Abroad outside GB (currently UK)

14 Housing Benefit Going Abroad Case Study: It is October Danii asks for help as her Housing Benefit has been stopped and she has an overpayment dating back to July 20 th when she and two of her children went to Pakistan for a family wedding, returning 6 weeks later. Gran stayed home to look after the younger children. Last year they all went on a similar trip and had no problems.

15 Housing Benefit Going Abroad What can we do to prevent problems?

16 Housing Benefit Family Premium From 1 st May 2016 no Family Premium: But protection for those on HB at 30 th April 2016 & award included Family Premium unless: Making a new claim for HB Once lost cannot regain Loss of up to pw less HB (unless on passport benefit).

17 Housing Benefit Family Premium Case Study: It is August Natasha is 30 and has two children. She is a part time care worker and had been receiving partial Housing Benefit a week, but her HB stopped in May when she notified them that her brother Tolek (who works full time) moved in with her as he d split from his partner. Now that Tolek has moved back with his partner Natasha has reclaimed Housing Benefit but is surprised to find that her Housing Benefit is not as high as before, though her circumstances are exactly the same.

18 Housing Benefit Family Premium Can we prevent the loss? Does it need to be a new claim?

19 Housing Benefit: Benefit Cap Benefit Cap Currently set at 500 / 350 BUT From April 2016 will start to reduce to (outside Greater London) couples and families single

20 People excluded from Benefit Cap Excluded if claimant/partner getting: Support Group ESA Industrial Injuries Benefits War widow/ers Pension Certain war disablement pensions Excluded if claimant / partner / dependant child getting: Disability Living Allowance Personal Independence Payment Excluded if claimant/partner entitled to: Working Tax Credit TO BE ADDED claimant/partner entitled to: Carers Allowance / Guardians Allowance

21 Housing Benefit: Benefit Cap Impact?

22 Housing Benefit Capping HB capped at LHA levels From April 2018 for all* new tenancies since April 2016 *supported housing April 2017 We were thinking what are the government playing at? But Lord Freud s letter & UC

23 Housing Benefit Capping HB Office will need to work out: Traditional Max HB for social housing ie eligible rent less any Bedroom Tax reduction LHA Capped HB 30 th percentile of rents for size of property claimant needs Use lowest of these to assess HB

24 Housing Benefit Capping LHA rates(taunton and South Somerset): SAR One bed Two bed Three bed Four Risk Areas No exclusions for age / supported housing

25 Housing Benefit Capping Shared Accommodation Rate: Single under 35 / any age and in shared accom Unless Non-dep, over-night carer Severe Disability Premium On mid/high rate care DLA or daily living PIP or Constant AA, and Live alone, and No-one getting paid Carers Allowance / Carer Element in UC for looking after them Under 22 and care leaver Also excluded single age and: Previously in homeless hostel or MAPPA Unless living in shared accommodation

26 Housing Benefit Capping Case Studies: Alex is 67 years old. He signed up for his sheltered flat in November He lives on his own. The full gross rent is 130 a week of which 12 is ineligible services. Kelly is 22 years old. She moved into her one bedroom flat in June She lives on her own. The full gross rent for her flat is 97 a week. Louise, hubbie Jack and son Matt age 16 live in a three bedroom house with a rent of 150 a week. They moved in July 2016, and their eldest son has since left home.

27 Housing Benefit Capping Farah lives with her mum as joint tenants of a two bedroom house. The rent for the house is 130 a week. They signed their tenancy in January Peter lives with his sister as joint tenants. Peter s son also lives with them. They live in a three bedroom house with a rent of 150 a week. They signed the tenancy in March Sandie and Joe moved in the their two bedroom property with their son in They have separated but continue to live in the property. Rent is 140 a week. NOTE: Works differently under UC for joint tenants

28 2016: Universal Credit Work Allowance reduced / Child care costs 85% Digital roll-out Benefit Cap reduced 2017: Limit to two children for some Singles aged no HCE unless No new LCW addition LHA Cap for social housing & UC Migration starts

29 Changes from April 2016 Work allowance reduces from April 2016!! Low High no HCE Single claimant - no children 111 / nil 111 / nil Lone parent 263 / / 397 Single claimant - limited capacity for work 192 / / 397 Couples - no children 111 / nil 111 / nil Couples - with children 222 / / 397 Couples, one or both with a limited capacity for work 192 / / 397

30 Universal Credit: Better off? Steve is single, under 25, working 35 hrs a week, on minimum wage. Rent 80 per week Gets no benefits under current system Gets: per month under UC (if 4 paydays in the MAP) But after April 2016 UC will be From MAP following..

31 Universal Credit: Update Digital Service What s it all about? When / where??

32 Digital Service May 2016 Bath JCP, Newcastle Cathedral Square JCP, Rugby JCP, Bridgwater JCP, Lowestoft JCP June 2016 Harrogate JCP, Richmond, Inverness JCP, Hammersmith JCP, Ryedale JCP July 2016 Runcorn JCP and Widnes JCP, Lancaster JCP and Morecombe JCP, Frome JCP and Wells JCP October 2016 Skipton JCP, Northallerton JCP, Kensington JCP, Peckham JCP, Taunton, Minehead November 2016 Workington JCP, Whitehaven JCP, Daventry JCP, Market Harborough JCP, Dingwall, Fort William, Invergordon JCP, Portree JCP and Wick JCP, Melton Bowbray JCP December 2016 Hartlepool JCP, Hastings JCP, Shepherd's Bush JCP and Fulham JCP, Stratford-upon-Avon JCP, Swindon JCP

33 Digital Service It s digital!!! Creates a/c password and 2 security questions & 16 digit PSN Book new claim interview CC accepted when claim Contact via a/c, or text ie no letters Cannot be paid into PO a/c Calculation unearned income Couple to single both stay on UC / MAP 6 months for those whose UC ended whilst in work new claim but old MAP Reporting Child Care Costs Surplus earnings rules (2017)

34 Case Study Universal Credit Fran, age 43, is single and lives in a 2 bedroom flat. She was on ESA but was found fit for work and put in a new claim for Universal Credit on 24 th February. She gets Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support. This is her award letter. What advice would you give?

35 Age 18 21? UC:Housing Costs Universal Credit From April 2017 not entitled to a Housing Costs Element unless: parents (both lone parents and couples), vulnerable, young people unable to live with parents, working young people, and those who have been in work for 6 months or more - for the first 6 months after leaving work.

36 Universal Credit Maximising entitlement ideas. Waiting days being applied incorrectly? Benefit transfer advances Permission to occupy rather than use and occupation Joint tenants only one left in property Becoming sick Becoming a carer Child awarded DLA Better off on Universal Credit? Bedroom Tax Non-dependant deductions

37 Quiz? Other Reform

38 Three children? Changes April 2017 Tax Credits / Housing Benefit No extra child element/premium for child born on or After April 2017 if two already in assessment Universal Credit New claims from April 2017 max 2 children regardless of when born Exceptions: multiple birth / rape Disabled child element / premium

39 Tax Credits Income Rise Disregard: Down from 5,000 to 2,5000

40 Pension Credit - April 2016 Savings Pension Credit No SPC for any single person on new single tier pension. ie must be state pension age before 6 April Can only claim SPC if 65 or over Mixed age couples no new award after 6 April 2016 (one SPA at )

41 Pension Credit - April 2016 Case Study: In 2015 Kate is single, aged 63, and in receipt of a small private pension. Kate is entitled to SPC and because she reached State Pension age before she may also be entitled to receive Savings Credit when she attains the age of 65 in 2017.

42 Pension Credit - April 2016 Case Study: Kate s twin brother Jason is single, retired and also in receipt of a small private pension. Jason is entitled to SPC but because he has not reached State Pension age before he will not be entitled to receive Savings Credit when he attains the age of 65 in 2017.

43 Pension Credit - April 2016 Assessed Income Periods From 6 th April - No new AIPs Existing claimants: Aged 75+ with no end date OK* AIP to end before 31 st March 2019 OK* Others new AIP end date *Unless change in household circs

44 WRAG / LCW - April 2017 No new award of Work Related Activity Component - ESA Limited Capacity Work Element - UC No effect on Support Group Impact on HB???? IR-ESA no less HB BUT: C-ESA..

45 Any questions? Budget Busting