UNIVERSAL CREDIT

Exeter - Wednesday, 1st May. (FULL)

London - Thursday, 16th May. (FULL)

Birmingham - Tuesday, 11th June.

City Centre Hotel Venues.

Workshop Fee: £280 + VAT.    4th Place Free on same date & venue.

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

A Training Workshop for local authority HB staff and those who give benefits advice to claimants. The delay to managed migration means remaining working age HB (and other legacy benefit) awards will linger for longer and claimants are more likely to come into contact with UC through natural events as opposed to a managed process. This Workshop deals with the complex issues that arise for local authorities and others dealing with legacy benefit claimants: For example SDP entitlement, legacy benefit appeals (especially ESA), and mixed age couples to mention just three of the subjects giving rise to frequently asked questions.

Managing the interface between UC and legacy benefits: 

Most people are now aware that all working age people, with very few exceptions, may claim UC and generally may not claim any other means tested benefit. But for some years still, UC and legacy benefits will continue to exist side by side. HB teams and advisors increasingly encounter situations where the law is complicated and error rates are high. This Workshop will show delegates exactly how the law governs UC roll-out – where does it say that you cannot make a new HB claim anymore … and where are the exceptions listed?  Where do the Regulations say that HB has to end in certain situations?  It is particularly important that local authorities do not prematurely close down HB awards in anticipation of a person claiming UC, especially where they have a viable alternative. The Workshop provides full analysis of the law governing the interaction between UC and legacy benefits. Topics covered include:  

New legacy claims:  

• Who is still able to claim HB and other legacy benefits? o People “entitled to” a Severe Disability Premium.  What does “entitled to” mean?  Can the Council “go behind” a DWP decision and take its own view? 

o What about people who are not on a legacy benefit but would qualify for the SDP if they were? 

o What about couples who get together while one of them has a legacy SDP … can they engineer a way to remain on legacy benefits (if that is what they want)? o What if PIP is reinstated on appeal so that the claimant should have been entitled to an SDP … and what if s/he has already claimed UC in the meantime? 

o Mixed age couples: Who can still make a new HB claim as a member of a mixed age couple? 

o Reverting to legacy benefits after being on UC – still possible in any circumstances?  

Existing legacy claims: 

• Common scenarios – examples of events that will and will not tend to result in a legacy claimant deciding to claim UC; 

• The importance of recognising that it is the claimant’s choice whether or not to claim UC; 

• Unsuccessful UC claims: does HB always have to end? o Upper Tribunal decision on withdrawing a UC claim before it has been decided; o Point at which the UC basic conditions are satisfied v issuing of HB “stop notice” – right to reside cases. 

• The Regulations preventing people with the Severe Disability Premium from claiming UC and allowing such claimants to continue making new claims for legacy benefits; 

• When do existing HB awards terminate for mixed age couples?  The Regulations governing the “Rod Stewart Tax” are extremely complex and the stakes are high, with a typical couple likely to be at least £130 a week worse off if they cannot stay on legacy HB and SPC.  It is therefore essential that local authorities understand how to apply these rules correctly.

• Short gaps in liability, changes of address and closed period supersessions: what happens when an HB claimant moves address but has no rent liability on either home for a short period? 

• One of the most frequently asked questions about legacy benefits concerns ESA claimants who fail a work capability assessment on review, then successfully appeal against the decision ending their ESA.  What should happen to HB in these cases … and does it make a difference if the claimant claims UC while their ESA appeal is pending?  What happens if UC stops and ESA is reinstated?  

The Workshop also includes information about a range of other miscellaneous Universal Credit topics including: 

• Weekly tenants and monthly UC: Myth and reality; 

• Earnings and UC assessment periods: o Early/late salary payment falls in a different AP from normal – gainers and losers; o Weekly/4-weekly earners and APs containing 5 weekly/2 four-weekly payments.  

• CTR, UC and fluctuating earnings: how to deal with claimants who have short gaps in UC entitlement; 

• FAQs affecting temporary and specified accommodation, including claimants who have earnings; moving into/out of temp/specified acc; remaining on HB after moving on to general needs; maximising income to the LA: avoiding the benefit cap and using provision models that attract the highest possible rate of HB subsidy; 

• Discretionary Housing Payments – suggestions and examples.   

The programme for this Workshop is kept constantly under review and the day will reflect the most up-to-date UC news and information, with any newly emerging issues also included. The Workshop is presented by Peter Barker, who is widely known for his knowledge, expertise and training in all aspects of Housing Benefits and the Welfare Reform Programme. 

Programme Timetable 

  9.30    Arrivals and coffee/tea   

  9.45    Introductions and course overview

11.15    Tea/Coffee break   

  1:00    Lunch break     

  3.15    Tea/coffee break        

  4.30    Workshop ends

We are always pleased to arrange most of our Workshops, such as this one, for staff from an individual organisation to be held at their own training venue. Please email us with your requirements for details.