1. 12 June 2013 Welfare Reform and the Social Housing Charter

2. Scale of the welfare reform challenge
Glasgow citizens stand to lose around £269m pa
Biggest losses from - incapacity benefit changes - tax credits – 1% cap on benefit uprating
Worst affected city for changes to incapacity benefit, under occupation deduction and in the 5 worst hit by the other reforms such as DLA to PIP
Under occupation – impact on customers communities and business: around 7,000 GHA tenants affected

3. Universal credit – challenges
18,789 GHA tenants affected by the removal of direct payments
10,000 GHA tenants estimated to be without bank accounts
Only 1/3 of tenants are estimated to have internet access at home
Tenants face budgeting challenges because of payment frequency and payments in arrears
Payment to one individual in a household presents challenges and could contribute to financial abuse

4. Overall approach
Understanding our tenants, who is most affected and target information, advice and support
Policy solutions: new Allocations Policy
priority for under occupation;
incentives to move;
affordability discussions with new tenants;
mutual exchange matching team;
exploring ways to increase number of smaller homes and remodel homes;
Case by case approach to arrears;
Improved rent collection;
Specialist teams of WBAs, money and fuel advisers; and
Reviewing furniture service charging policy.

5. Solution - Getting the message across
Customer communication strategy including key
messages:
Talk to your landlord
Maximise benefit entitlement
Always seek advice
Tenant seminars / events
Targeted engagement with tenants likely to affected by the reforms
“Customer conversations”

6. Preparing tenants - Advice and information
Detailed welfare benefits advice
Fuel & money advice
Banking products
Budgeting support
Help to set up best payment option
Welfare reform hotline

7. What else are we doing?
Liaison with GCC to develop city wide strategic response
Think Yes and seek solutions for customers
Increased staff resources
New operating model
Developing tailored training for housing staff
Influencing Westminster and DWP – exemptions for foster carers etc; implementation timescale
Talking to staff who are affected

8. Other Potential Supports and solutions
Digital inclusion programme: 2 feasibility studies – tenants can make savings by using on line transactions – But 2/3 of tenants not connected
Housing Options: Helping tenants choose the most appropriate, affordable tenure. Advice and support identified at pre-tenancy stages for new customers
Innovative Assets: potential of room dividing screens at design stage to enable low cost re-designation of house size. Overall impact will however be low due to the timescales for delivering our overall new build programme.
Potential to purchase smaller affordable properties on open market, providing more options to move
Incentives: For key behaviours on rent payment such as opening a bank account or paying by direct debit; move to smaller homes, free up larger home

9. Social Housing Charter
Performance and Business Assurance framework aligned to
charter outcomes
Scrutiny approach to involving tenants
Tenant influence at a number of levels:
Governance – Board and Area Committee
Strategic – Chairs’ Forum and RTO Federation
Local – LHO Committees and RTOs
Scrutiny Panel –
sits out with governance structures to ensure robust and independent scrutiny
annual report to the GHA Board and Wheatley Board as part of ARC submission to the Regulator
clear agreed remit, roles and responsibilities, skills and capacity

10. Links to Charter outcomes
Activities around the welfare reforms are clearly linked to Charter outcomes and how we work with tenants to demonstrate our performance against the outcomes:
Access to social housing
Tenancy sustainment
Value for money
Rent and Service Charges
Equalities
Participation
Communications…..
Impacts of welfare reforms create more opportunities for tenants to engage and influence. Not just in relation to the reforms but across the wider outcomes
As impacts hit there will be more formal and informal scrutiny around value for rents and service charges