Universal Credit Full service 29 March 2017 Universal Credit Full service

Universal Credit in Halton UC Live Service introduced in November 2014 232 claimants up to July 2016 27th July 2016 – Full Service Roll Out 814 customers now on UC Live service transfer to Full service commenced on 16th January 2017

Early Issues Registration Code not sent to customers – unable to complete claim System crashing mid application Postcodes areas – Not all of Halton in the Full service Online Verification process – Dose not work, an ongoing issue Incorrect information provided to customer moving into the full service

Communication with the Full Service No escalation line Implicit consent no longer accepted Position for full service at present: “Explicit Consent is when an individual has been clearly presented with an option to agree or disagree to the disclosure of their personal data to a third party. Explicit Consent can be requested over the phone or in person. In all cases the claimant must first answer the security questions successfully before consent can be given. Explicit Consent is only valid for a single interaction. This means that the third party cannot be given personal information if they independently make contact at a later date. Implicit consent, which is used in other parts of DWP, does not apply for Universal Credit Full Service. As UCFS is a fully online transactional service most of the information a third party will need is available via the claimant’s account. The claimant can decide to share it with the third party

The Online Journal Information is not available on the journal Customer can wait several weeks for a response No service level agreement for responding to journal entries No word limit for journal entries and customers have 24/7 access Letters are not being attached to the journal, customers have no documentation to confirm overpayments, underpayments, changes in their claim

Journal information Payments schedules changed Deductions taken for unknown reasons leaving customers unable to budget, manage their money or know what debt they are repaying

Full Service - Impact on Vulnerable Customers ESA v. UC – Appealing a failed medical in the full service Lose of Severe disability premium – £61.85 per week Limited capability for Work/Related Activity – not added to UC claims ESA payments continuing while UC in payment Full work commitments placed on the sick UC50 medical forms not issued – 10 month delay for medicals

Other issues impacting the vulnerable More frequent payments, be careful what you wish for! Health Start – does not recognise Full UC Claiming Contribution Based Benefits in the Full service Accessing local authority Discretionary Support & DHPs

June 2016

June 2016 233 UC cases 3 per week 89k or 10% better than arrears target DR – current/former arrears, garage arrears, rechargeable repairs debts. Team purely focused on collection of debt and working to minimise the impact of UC on customers and trust HO Team – key to key, include responsibility for terminations, management of ending tenancy, TSA and hand holding for first 6 weeks of tenancy where needed Tenancy Services Team – ASB/Tenancy Enforcement/ support services – this will include the TSO’s/WBMA and financial inclusion officers

March 2017 DR – current/former arrears, garage arrears, rechargeable repairs debts. Team purely focused on collection of debt and working to minimise the impact of UC on customers and trust HO Team – key to key, include responsibility for terminations, management of ending tenancy, TSA and hand holding for first 6 weeks of tenancy where needed Tenancy Services Team – ASB/Tenancy Enforcement/ support services – this will include the TSO’s/WBMA and financial inclusion officers

March 2017 UC Claimants consistently increase by 20 per week Impact on arrears

March 2017 Arrears position On average full UC cases owe £200 more than pre UC 5% owe £1000 more now then before they claimed UC 12% of Trust customers on UC but owe 38% of current debt Arrears now 87k worse than target Welfare Benefit Team supported 35% of full service cases 50% increase in possession action over previous year Balance of FTAs was £162k this time last year currently 318k

Change in arrears profile

Reason for increase in arrears Number of cases Communication Doubling of customer contact It’s Halton Housing Trusts fault Joint tenancy issues Reactive not proactive action We can’t tell you anything Other teams understanding of UC Unchallenged acceptance No need for action or investigation it’s a UC claim

Reason for increase in arrears Complexity of cases for example UC for in work claimants Lack of clarity over legal action Continue to court incur costs (unnecessarily ?) Trust customers to make payments APA applications County Court response Evidence in court

APA ..or not Payment schedule Payment period Payment cycle Payment not received Payment not as expected Payment out of line with performance reports Payment claimants responsibility

Trust current arrears management action Support from Chief Executive Focused action at sign up Early contact and action with support No APA requests without referral to WBO Escalation of arrears cases At customer contact focus on rent payment to maximise debt reduction Using data on customers financial and behavioural profile for targeted approach

Customer priorities and concerns Survey of customers identified the following Improved communication - including face to face, written, digital and phone contact 23 No issues, good service nothing to say 15 speed up payment process & communication 14 Weekly/ fortnightly payments 9 Abolish UC 9 Greater support for claimants 9 Direct payments to landlords 4 Better IT system 4

Priorities for Halton Housing Trust Slow down roll out of UC to ensure that staff ,IT & process are fit for purpose Acceleration of the rollout of the landlord portal from scheduled date October 18 Consistency of service, timescale information and advice to claimants ,with a transparent complaints process Prepare for increased level of claimant support as more complex cases start to enter transition phase Simplified and more “live” payment service for claimants and landlords

Priorities for Halton Housing Trust Removal of the designed-in 7-day waiting period which immediate places claimants in rent arrears. Claimants having the option of having their housing costs paid direct to their landlord, for at least the early part of their claim, to enable the claimant to focus on their work search requirements. Greater flexibility in payment cycles and a shift away from the default mechanism of monthly payments in arrears. Increasing the timescales for repayment of advance payments.

Grainne Ward & Jonathan Horsfall 0151 510 5000 0790 355 5370 jonathan.horsfall@haltonhousing.org