First Choice For All Your Housing Benefit & Universal Credit Training

A Year In Benefits - Looking Back Over 2019 .... And Ahead To 2020. 

(Contact us for availability of dates for our In-House Workshops.)

Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances Peter Barker is now unable to provide training during the week below and we have therefore had to cancel the three planned  Workshop dates.   We apologise for any disappointment this may cause.

London - Tue., 10th December. (Cancelled)

Leeds - Wed., 11th December. (Cancelled)

Birmingham - Thur., 12th December. (Cancelled)

An Introduction To Housing Benefit & CTR 

(2-Day Workshop).   

London -  Tue. & Wed., 21st & 22nd January, 2020.  

Kingsley Holborn Thistle Hotel.     

(Near The British Museum).

Housing Benefit Appeals & First Tier Tribunals

A Good Practice Workshop With A Focus On 'HB Overpayments' Issues 

(Contact us for availability of dates for our In-House Workshops.)

Further dates for Leeds and London during January & February will be announced shortly. 

If you wish to be notified of the details when announced please email us and this will be arranged. 

Universal Credit - Latest Issues

Various course programmes can be tailored for In-House Workshops.

Contact us for availability of dates for our In-House Workshops.)

New Dates for 2020 to be published shortly.

Supported Housing & Housing Benefit For Local Authority Staff

Key Issues For Local Authorities

 (Contact us for availability of dates for our In-House Workshops.)

Further dates for Leeds and London during January & February will be announced shortly. 

If you wish to be notified of the details when announced please email us and this will be arranged. 

Housing Benefit & Social Housing Advice For EU Nationals

New course.   (Contact us for availability of dates for our In-House Workshops.)

(Contact us for availability of dates for our 1 & 2-Day 'Benefits For Persons From Overseas' In-House Workshops.)

New Dates For 2020 To Be Published Shortly.

Our team has been providing Welfare Benefits Training for over 20 years, and with our constant research you can be assured that every Workshop will provide the most up-to-date information available.

If you have a group of 5-16 of your own staff requiring a Housing Benefit or Universal Credit Training Workshop then you may wish to consider us providing one of these ‘in-house’ at your own training venue just for your own staff members. Most of our Workshops can be provided on this basis, and when it is for staff all from the same organisation it gives the opportunity to then ‘tailor’ a course to  focus more on specific issues, or even look at some of your own cases that may have been giving problems. We can provide training on most Housing Benefit, Universal Credit, Council Tax and Welfare Reform topics, or can 'tailor' a programme to your specific training needs.      

We are constantly updating and developing new Workshops to respond to changes in Housing Benefit Rules, Legislation and Tribunal decisions, so they always reflect the very latest information. Our Regional Workshops are arranged at convenient town and city centre hotel venues throughout the year, but most of these can also be offered to an individual local authority, housing association or other organisation.

Please reserve your preferred dates early!   We are often booked up for at least 2 months in advance.

Why Not Reserve Some Autumn Dates Now For One Of Our Four Most Popular 2-Day In-House Training Programmes!

An Overview Of Housing Benefit  & Council Tax Reduction

A 2 or 3-day Workshop providing refresher training on the key principles of HB and CTR. Also suitable as an introduction to HB and CTR for new staff. The Workshop does not go into any detail about more difficult topics such as EU Nationals, students, small business owners (company directors and self-employed sole traders, etc.) as these are complex issues requiring full day course for themselves, so subjects such as these can only receive a very brief coverage. If required, more in-depth follow-up training on these subjects can be provided at a later stage.

Housing Benefit & Council Tax Reduction For Small Business Owners

This 2-day Workshop combines two of the subjects found most difficult by benefits practitioners and advisers: Self-Employment and Small Company Owners (Directors). People who run their own small business through either of these models may appear at first sight to be the same for all practical purposes … but when it comes to tax, NI and benefits there are some very important differences. Here is an opportunity to tackle both small business models in a single event spanning two days, with integrated notes ensuring that the two “halves” are compatible. This 2-day Workshop can be designed so that attendance for those only wishing to attend either day are able to do so.

Housing Benefit & CTR Decision Making & Appeals

This 2-day Workshop brings together the complete end-to-end process of adjudication and appeals processing, from first-instance decisions on claims all the way through to the Upper Tribunal. Subjects covered include revision and supersession (grounds and effective dates); submitting appeals to the First-tier Tribunal; options for taking an appeal further; and the key difference between the procedures for HB and CTR appeals. Aimed primarily at local authority staff dealing with appeals and reconsiderations, but also suitable for welfare rights officers and claimants’ representatives. Delegates can choose to attend either of the two days, or both: The first day deals with decisions, revision and supersession, while the second is concerned with appeals. 

Benefit & Social Housing Entitlements For Claimants From Overseas (EU and non-EU)

This 2-Day Workshop is aimed at staff who advise the public and/or make decisions on housing benefit claims, housing applications and requests for homelessness assistance from people who have arrived in the UK from the EEA and other parts of the world. The Workshop includes coverage of the detailed rules contained in the draft withdrawal agreement on the UK’s “divorce” from the EU, and the latest information on ‘Brexit’ implications. The course is suitable for people who need a working knowledge of how claimants can access social housing and the benefits system, and give appropriate advice to claimants without necessarily having to consult complex source material or compile legal submissions. Ideal for benefits assessors, income management staff and customer contact staff involved in benefits advice.

All Workshops can be tailored to your specific training needs!