Universal Credit- Local Authority perspective Paul Edwards Southwark Council

Temporary accommodation Overview Roll out in Southwark Some background Challenges Where we are now Southwark as landlord Temporary accommodation Benefits

Universal Credit- Southwark A bit of background Amongst the first Phased roll out: Full, Live, Full Universal Credit roll out in Southwark Universal Credit roll out in Southwark Full Service November 2015 single postcode Then further post codes London Bridge Jan and March 2016 September/October further full service roll out Remaining full service roll out (small no of postcodes) Dec 17 to 2018 Live Service February 2016 for other Jobcentres not covered by initial full service roll out

Landlord Context Large landlord 36000 properties About 40-50% of Social rented sector in Southwark Context Click Insert Header & Footer and Apply to all to modify presentation title 29/11/2018

Landlord Cultural Change Tenant Understanding of their rent Challenges Cultural Change Tenant Understanding of their rent Additional activity Who will move to UC and when Cultural Change Limited access to information Staff understanding UC design Wait to first payment HB auto to rent account whereas UC default to the tenant. Understanding Tenant understanding of their rent Under UC tenant declared rent and that provided by landlord need to match –Otherwise no housing costs included in UC (even a penny out stops inclusion) Additional Activity Rent verification process for landlords- not required under HB. Needed to employ more staff to undertake this role. Alternative Payment requests and rent arrears deduction requests The legacy benefit payment system- payments do not align so can be delay between money out of tenant’s UC and landlord receiving payment. With rent arrears deduction can vary in payment. Additional scripting to keep the automation. Click Insert Header & Footer and Apply to all to modify presentation title 29/11/2018

Tenant Understanding of their rent Landlord Where are we now Information and training for staff Cultural Change New communications products. Still lots of mismatches Tenant Understanding of their rent Increased resource to manage rent verification Additional activity Cultural Change Information and training fro staff UC design Disclosure rules APA payments More tenant engagement Tenant understanding of their rent Comms products Additional Activity Increased admin resource to Alternative Payment requests and rent arrears deduction requests The legacy benefit payment system- payments do not align so can be delay between money out of tenant’s UC and landlord receiving payment. With rent arrears deduction can vary in payment. Additional scripting to keep the automation. Click Insert Header & Footer and Apply to all to modify presentation title 29/11/2018

Landlord 4788 (approx 14% of all tenants) 72% in arrears at UC claim What does this mean- Some numbers 4788 (approx 14% of all tenants) Tenants who have claimed UC 72% in arrears at UC claim 77% currently in arrears Arrears Requested in 39% cases Alternative Payment Arrangement Click Insert Header & Footer and Apply to all to modify presentation title 29/11/2018

Landlord Letter and information leaflet UC Guide Tenant communication Some responses Letter and information leaflet UC Guide Tenant communication Rent verification and APA Landlord Portal Click Insert Header & Footer and Apply to all to modify presentation title 29/11/2018

Temporary Accommodation Challenges Short term stay in accommodation Lobbied DWP- budget announcement Universal Credit design Do they need to claim? Staff to identify the need for a claim Identify UC triggers Improved- but with increased resource Income collection UC design TA, especially emergency nightly paid not fitting with UC design Significant number no housing duty- move out before one month Identify triggers Identifying who needs to claim UC – not all need to claim UC eg placed in UC live area or already on benefit (eg on HB with Southwark) and no break in claim so simple change within existing claim. Process that income officers see all those places in TA- where UC need identified documentation given to confirm customer needs to claim UC. IT Difficulty with having IT –internet connection as in the process of moving our HPU offices. Income Collection Click Insert Header & Footer and Apply to all to modify presentation title 29/11/2018

Benefits Reducing but high work activity Housing benefit Reducing but high work activity Working age caseload HB stops- improved but still receive duplicates Universal Credit data share need to identify who qualifies Specified accommodation Caseload (approx 30% reduction April 16 to September 17) Specified Accommodation Instances where UC have paid housing costs Have a list of accommodation that feel meets the definition Click Insert Header & Footer and Apply to all to modify presentation title 29/11/2018

Benefits Council Tax reduction Non claiming- potential impact Council Tax collection Volume of data share from Universal Credit Challenges Non Claiming Where no existing CTR claim of those where we get a notification from UC of a UC claim send out an invite to claim but low take up. Volume of date share from UC Creates work activity potentially every month on a UC claim Click Insert Header & Footer and Apply to all to modify presentation title 29/11/2018