universal credit in the north...
TRANSCRIPT
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13 January 2015
Universal Credit in the
North West
Katie Teasdale
External Affairs Manager
National Housing Federation
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3
Universal Credit
National Housing Federation
January 2015
What’s different about Universal Credit?
IT
ENCOURAGE
S WORK
IT’S LIKE
WORK
IT’S
ABOUT
WORK
PAID MONTHLY
PAID DIRECTLY
CLAIMANT
COMMITMENT –
LIKE A
CONTRACT
IN AND OUT
OF WORK
CLAIMANT
COMMITMENT
REQUIREMENTS
FULL TIME
WORK SEARCH
EARNINGS,
NOT HOURS A SIMPLE TAPER
SO BETTER OFF
IN WORK
EASY
TRANSITION UC
TO WORK (AND
BACK)
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5
Universal Credit – one year on
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Universal Credit - roll out
• Universal Credit is now being delivered in nearly 100 Jobcentres in England,
Wales and Scotland.
• From end of November we have been taking claims from families in limited
locations in the North West and following successful testing will be expanding
claims from families to all live locations from end of January 2015
• We are accelerating the delivery of Universal Credit from February 2015 rolling
out nationally through 2015/16 to all jobcentres and local authorities across the
country. This expansion will be for new claims from single jobseekers
• We started deliberately slow with a small number of claimants so we could
learn and build a stronger system.
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National roll out
• National roll out will be in 4 Tranches from February 2015
• Commencement Order for Tranches 1 & 2, along with expansion to families
will be laid in January 2015
• Commencement Order for tranches 3 & 4 will be laid after the General election
in May 2015
• Tranche 1 will launch UC in around 150 Jobcentres bringing a further 78 Local
Authorities in as Delivery Partners
• Tranche 2 brings in around 115 jobcentres and 63 more Local Authorities as
Delivery Partners
• Retrofit for families in existing 91 live service sites will take place in 2 stages,
with 26 sites going live on 26th January and 65 sites on 2nd March
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Working with landlords
• We're working closely with social landlords such as councils and
housing associations to help them pro-actively support tenants to
manage the change to UC:
• As part of our learning from our Pathfinder, we have already:
– Introduced a standard template on which landlords can apply for
an Alternative Payment Arrangement and deductions from UC
– Put in place a dedicated Housing Costs team within the UC
Service Centre in Bolton.
– Offered a range of contact methods depending on the severity of
individuals circumstances
– Held a series of meetings with RSLs to address issues they were
experiencing.
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Sharing data with landlords
• 6 week public consultation from 22nd September
– Landlords – what they can do to help UC claimants
– UC claimants – seeking views on data sharing with Landlords
• Regulations to Social Security Advisory Committee by December
2014
• Regulations scheduled to be laid in Parliament by mid January 2015
• Regulations coming into force 26th January 2015
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Outstanding issues
• Further housing team to be set up in Glasgow Service Centre
• MGP 1 process for closing HB claims
• Sec of State letters to support LCTRS
• Senior Operational Manager appointed to oversee changes to
housing element of UC and how we work closer with Local
Authorities and RSLs
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Gareth Bevan
Learning from Live Running
Structure of presentation
• Federation’s work
• Some headline figures
• Key issues emerging from UC Pathfinders in the
North West
• Recommendations
• Solutions – for housing associations and DWP
• What next?
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Federation’s work
Headline figures…
22,900 Ten 97 511 140
Twenty Four
330,955 83.9
648
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Emerging issues…
Application
and routing of
claims
Emerging issues…
Benefit advances
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Emerging issues…
Vulnerabilities and Support
Emerging issues…
Alternative Payment Arrangements
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Emerging issues…
Relationships
Emerging issues…
Data sharing
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Recommendations
• Save function
• Confirmation
• PBS
• APAs
• Advance payments
• Claimant commitment
• Data sharing
• Trusted status
Solutions
• Preparing tenants
– Communication, research,
financial/digital inclusion,
training
• Preparing housing
association staff
– Training, role/team changes
• Preparing the organisation
– Holistic organisational approaches vs watch and learn
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Remaining challenges
• Roll-out
• Service from Service
Centres
• Families
• Data sharing
• Migration
• Working with a non-digital
system
Remaining challenges
• Roll-out
• Service from Service
Centres
• Families
• Data sharing
• Migration
• Working with a non-digital
system
MAY 7 2015?
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Gareth Bevan
Email:
Tel: 0161 873 9449
Gareth Bevan
Email:
Tel: 0161 873 9449
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John Hudson Presentation
Tea and coffee break
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Breakout Sessions
1. Universal Support Delivered
Locally – Ground Floor
2. Service Charges – Main Room
3. Personal Budgeting Support
– Ground Floor
Sue Ramsden, Policy Leader
January 2015
Refocussing your service charge
strategy around Universal Credit
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• New eligibility rules under UC
• Information from tenant
• Service charge verification
• DWP decision making and challenge
• What is excessive?
Eligible or ineligible?
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·A – payments to maintain the general
standard of the accommodation
B – payments for the general upkeep of
areas of communal use
C – payments in respect of basic
communal services
D – Accommodation-specific charges.
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Issues
Eligibility
• Public funding exclusion
• No luxuries (no security for car
parking)
• Management charges
• Supported and sheltered housing
• Depreciation
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• No entitlement to
housing costs
under UC
• New definition of
‘specified
accommodation’
• Pension credit
• New system for
working age
adults?
Supported and sheltered housing
Questions ?
Contact:
[email protected] / 0207 067 1080
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Lunch
Breakout Sessions
1. Universal Support Delivered
Locally – Ground Floor
2. Digital Inclusion – Main Room
3. Personal Budgeting Support
– Ground Floor
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Digital For All: The Journey So Far Paul Earl & Neil Martin
UC Pathfinder GGHT 1ST Year
126 UC Recipients (Dec 1st 2014)
Rent arrears increase of 31% approx.
Approx. 40% are under 25
Limited IT Support DWP GGHT Pilot: Housing cost verification process extended
Building Partnership with DWP & Credit Union
Multitude of Internal Support Processes (1.5FTE)
Executive Management Commitment
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Meet The Hare and The Tortoise…
The Hare and the Tortoise http://www.thecentreformicrobusiness.co.uk/digital-inclusion
The Hare…
89% of young people now use a smartphone or tablet to go online up from 43% in 2010.
Potential Savings are Estimated at £560+ a Year by Shopping and Paying Bills Online
81% of people over 55 say that being online makes them feel part of modern society and less lonely
But don’t forget the Tortoise…
10% of the adult population may never gain basic digital skills,
Around 37% of digitally excluded people are in social housing
Around 45% of GGHT Tenants NEVER use the Internet (Sample survey September 2012)
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Introduction
How It All Started…
Digital For All…
2014-17 Action Plan…
Longford
Rascal
Free Wi-Fi
Digital For All
d
a
a J
d
Channel Change
Work Task Group July 2012 – Outcomes:
Out Bound Questionnaire (500 tenants)
Disbandment of CaH advert saving £54,000 per year
E-Version News and Views saving £42,000 per year
External funding for DI activities - £60,000
CaH project provides large call volume reduction
Saving of 26% on all postage costs
Recognition of need for step change on Digital Inclusion and Channel Shift (‘Digital by Design’)
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Longford on Line
Free Wi-Fi
Make It Fun!
Easy Access & Tutorials
Longford
Rascal
Free Wi-Fi
FUN
Candy Crush
Selfie
Prizes
www.gghtpublic.org.uk
Longford Home Page Kiosk Design: www.gghtpublic.org.uk
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Key Lessons
Warrington Wide
Right First Time?
Digital Champions
Partnership
Plan & Plan Again
a) Can come in all sizes
b) Exist Everywhere!
Department Work & Pensions: The Digital Job Centre (July 2014)
DWP front of house staff will direct claimants to the
appropriate service.
An introductory ‘Show and Tell’ session on the
WADs will be given to those who need it.
Appointments will be booked for those needing more
intensive IT support.
Claimants that are able to self serve will be
encouraged to do so.
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GGHT Strategy “Hare & Tortoise”
Digital Inclusion “The Tortoise”
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Digital Inclusion “The Tortoise”
Profile: Michael
46 Years Old, Manual Labourer
Recently Redundant
Basic Skills
Previously No Motivation for Online
No Access
Social Media Dinosaur
Digital Inclusion “The Tortoise”
Link Digital Skills to Job Clubs
Promote Deals e.g. Argos Free Tablet & Training
Promote Local Training
Target for Digital Events
Provide Home Access
Signpost to Local Community Hubs
Partner with Digital
Champion
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Digital By Design “The Hare”
Digital By Design “The Hare”
Profile: Sarah
22 Years Old, Customer Services Advisor
Good IT Skills
High Motivation
Full Access
Social Media Expert
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Digital By Design “The Hare”
“Millennials Generation”
Requires Additional Services 24/7/365
Want online relationships with staff/organisation
Added Value – what’s in it for me…
Better On Line, How?
Ideal Digital Champion
Enhance Skills Training
Trust & Confidence
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Trust & Confidence “Tortoise or Hare”
Profile: Pat & Alan
69 Years Old, Retired
Reasonable Skills
Some Motivation
Full Access at Home
Limited Social Media
Fearful of providing information online
Trust & Confidence “Tortoise or Hare”
Confidence Building
Training Courses
Promote Social Access
Ideal Digital Champion
Partner with Digital Champion
Need to be Nurtured
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2014-17 Action Plan Activity & Measure
Support Government Strategy April 2014: 90% tenants online by 2020
Underpin Group Target: 80% Digital Transactions by 2020
Payments
Communication
Digital that Works
90% On Line
Action Plan What Next?
46 Suggested Activities: Delivery Priority A, B & C (Budget, Staff & Merger Impact)
Business Wide, How do we “Operationalise Digital?”
Winning Hearts & Minds of Residents & Staff
Tough Choices: Consciously Deliver a Worse Service?
Key to success is centrally accessible Customer Insight data that is 100% maintained and accurate.
Review Suggested Success Measures:
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Action Plan Examples
Digital Skills & Access Baseline: 95% B&D tenants by Q4: 2015, 95% of all residents by Q2: 2017
Neighbourhood officers to identify tenants who are digitally excluded and work as Digital Champions.
Digital inclusion events run on a weekend targeted at schools and using their facilities
Research options for broadband without the need to have home phone line.
At least 300 residents access NHS Choices Direct or via Learn My Way by Q3:2015
Ensure All Activities support “Digital for All Strategy”
Executive Buy-In and Promotion
Operationalise Digital: Core Element For Everyone (HR/OD)
Winning Hearts & Minds of Residents and Staff
NUDGE Theory
Effective Success Measures & Monitoring
How Is Digital Better? Would I Want To Use IT?
Partnerships Are Key: WBC, WVA, Live Wire
Digital Champions & Volunteers
How Do You Support “The Digitally Enlightened”
Tell Stories and Make it Fun!!
And Finally…
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Questions
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING
Neil Martin & Paul Earl
Golden Gates Housing Trust
@GGHTrust
@nmartin2505
@paearl
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Summary and close