Issue - meetings

Welfare Reform Update

 

 

Meeting: 08/09/2022 - Shared Revenues and Benefits Joint Committee (Item 6)

6 Welfare Reform Update pdf icon PDF 312 KB

Minutes:

Purpose of Report

 

To provide the Shared Revenues and Benefits Joint Committee with an update regarding various areas relating to the national welfare reform agenda, as well as current initiatives to support residents. 

 

Decision

 

That the content of the report be noted, with a further update to be presented to the next meeting of Shared Revenues and Benefits Joint Committee

 

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

 

None.

 

Reason for Decision

 

This report provided Shared Revenues and Benefits Joint Committee with an update on the national and local position of welfare reform/other initiatives, with a specific focus on Universal Credit, Test and Trace Support Payments, Discretionary Housing Payments, Household Support Fund, Council Tax Energy Rebate, and Financial Inclusion matters.

 

The national Welfare Reform agenda had resulted in a significant impact on residents of Lincoln and North Kesteven since 2013 when certain changes were introduced such as Removal of Spare Room Subsidy, and Benefit Cap; this had continued as further changes had been introduced, such as the ongoing rollout of Universal Credit. These changes had resulted in major changes to the operation of our shared service, to ensure a proactive and positive response to welfare reform and the impacts on residents.

 

The following updates were noted:

 

Universal Credit

 

The latest national figures published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) were released on 19 July2022, with statistics relevant to the period up to May 2022: 

 

  • 5,541,902 households receiving UC (a decrease from 5,510,549 as reported at the last meeting of this Committee).

 

Local authority statistics also available:

 

  • City of Lincoln – 10,477 (10,641 as at the last report);
  • North Kesteven – 6,091(6,181 as at the last report).

 

On 25th April 2022, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions made a statement in the House of Lords (regarding managed UC migration for working-age legacy benefits – with the aim of completing this migration by the end of 2024. Further information regarding the migration process was published on GOV.UK (Completing the move to Universal Credit - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)) and since then, an initial 500 cases in Bolton and Medway areas had been invited to migrate from legacy benefits to UC. Truro and Falmouth had been announced as the next two areas as part of the UC ‘discovery phase’.

 

There was currently no further detail as to the rollout schedule for other areas of the country, officers had made contact with DWP colleagues locally and nationally and would report back to this Committee with relevant updates at future meetings.

 

COVID-19 Test and Trace Support Payments

 

The Test and Trace Support Payments (TTSP) scheme (with mandatory and discretionary elements) had now ended (30th April 2022). The Welfare Reform Support Team was in receipt of all applications and had undertaken assessment decisions. The team also secured further funding from Lincolnshire County Council to make TTSP related payments utilising Winter Grant Scheme monies.

 

In total, the team received 4,918 applications for City of Lincoln, of which 2,091 had received a payment.

 

In total,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6

Meeting: 31/05/2022 - Shared Revenues and Benefits Joint Committee (Item 36)

36 Welfare Reform Update pdf icon PDF 298 KB

Minutes:

Purpose of Report

 

To provide the Shared Revenues and Benefits Joint Committee with an update regarding various areas relating to the national welfare reform agenda, as well as current initiatives to support residents. 

 

Decision

 

That the content of the report be noted, with a further update to be presented to the next meeting of Shared Revenues and Benefits Joint Committee

 

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

 

None.

 

Reason for Decision

 

This report provided Shared Revenues and Benefits Joint Committee with an update on the national and local position of welfare reform/other initiatives, with a specific focus on Universal Credit, Test and Trace Support Payments, Discretionary Housing Payments, Council Tax Hardship Fund, Household Support Fund, Council Tax Energy Rebate, and Financial Inclusion matters.

 

The national Welfare Reform agenda had resulted in a significant impact on residents of Lincoln and North Kesteven since 2013 when certain changes were introduced such as Removal of Spare Room Subsidy, and Benefit Cap; this had continued as further changes had been introduced, such as the ongoing rollout of Universal Credit. These changes had resulted in major changes to the operation of our shared service, to ensure a proactive and positive response to welfare reform and the impacts on residents.

 

The following updates were noted:

 

Universal Credit

 

The latest national figures published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) were released on 12th April 2022, with statistics relevant to the period up to February 2022: 

 

  • 5,510,549 households receiving UC (a decrease from 5,697,267 as reported at the last meeting of this Committee).

 

Local authority statistics also available:

 

  • City of Lincoln – 10,641 (10,950 as at the last report);
  • North Kesteven – 6,181 (6,434 as at the last report).

 

On 25th April 2022, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions made a statement in the House of Lords (regarding managed UC migration for working-age legacy benefits – with the aim of completing this migration by the end of 2024. Further information regarding the migration process was published on GOV.UK (Completing the move to Universal Credit - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)) and since then, an initial 500 cases in Bolton and Medway areas had been invited to migrate from legacy benefits to UC.

 

There was currently no further detail as to the rollout schedule for other areas of the country, officers had made contact with DWP colleagues locally and nationally and would report back to this Committee with relevant updates at future meetings.

 

COVID-19 Test and Trace Support Payments

 

The Test and Trace Support Payments (TTSP) scheme (with mandatory and discretionary elements) had now ended (30th April 2022). The Welfare Reform Support Team was in receipt of all applications and had undertaken assessment decisions. The team also secured further funding from Lincolnshire County Council to make TTSP related payments utilising Winter Grant Scheme monies.

 

In total, the team received 4,918 applications for City of Lincoln, of which at the time of writing this report on 5th May 2022, 2,091 had received a payment.

 

In  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36