Agenda item

To provide the Joint Committee with an update to the national and local position of Universal Credit.

Decision

That the report be noted and that future updates in relation to Universal Credit be provided as part of the regular ‘Welfare Reform Update’ reports.

None.

The Revenues and Benefits Shared Service had worked with the Department for Work and Pensions, Jobcentre Plus, Customer Services, Housing and Communications colleagues to devise a full service preparation action plan. This was outlined in Appendix 1 of the report. This document provided details regarding all activities required to ensure the Shared Service, associated teams and customers were prepared for full service roll-out. The plan also included key information such as the action required and how it would be achieved, the lead officer and links to the strategic plan and associated policies.

To ensure that the activities identified within the action plan were undertaken, joint monthly meetings were taking place and included representatives from the Shared Service, City of Lincoln Council, North Kesteven District Council, Jobcentre Plus and the Department for Work and Pensions.

Paragraphs 6.1 to 6.6 of the report set out key information included and announced as part of the Autumn Statement in November 2017. A further announcement had been made on 23 November 2017 and a new transition for roll-out had confirmed that the Lincoln Jobcentre would continue to roll-out on 7 March 2018, with Sleaford Jobcentre being moved back from July 2018 to November 2018. It was noted that a number of North Kesteven postcodes would migrate over to full service between 7 March 2018 and November 2018, which were shown in the table under paragraph 6.6 of the report.

The Welfare Reform and Project Officer had been working with City of Lincoln housing and council tax colleagues to monitor the impact that Universal Credit claims were currently having on rent and council tax arrears. The data showed that, of the 138 City of Lincoln tenants in receipt of Universal Credit, 60 of them had an increase in their arrears, totalling £15,811.

A Universal Credit update report was presented to the Lincoln Corporate Management Team on 28 November 2017, where it was proposed to introduce a Universal Support Team led by the Welfare Reform and Project Officer. This proposal was supported on a ‘test and learn’ basis with a review date of July 2018. It was recognised that any arrangement, at least for the first year of Universal Credit full service, would need to be flexible in order to react to changing priorities and demands, and to establish the most effective way of working in a live environment.

It was reported that the following events had recently been held to provide an update on the latest developments in respect of Universal Credit:

·         briefing with City of Lincoln Council members – 17 January 2018;

·         briefing with Lincoln stakeholder groups – 30 January 2018;

·         briefing with the Lincoln Private Landlord Forum – 12 February 2018;

·         briefing with North Kesteven District Council members – 19 February 2018.

Discussion ensued on assisted digital support regarding online applications and reassurance was given that adequate support would be provided by staff to ensure that people were getting the assistance they needed, and that this would not be limited to 10 minutes per client as suggested in the report. All instances of staff providing digital support would be recorded and it was also noted that 24 self-service computers had been made available at Lincoln College by way of an overspill facility. It was acknowledged that some people may struggle with the concept of using a computer to access services, which was why the digital support being offered was so important.

It was noted that sufficient information should have been collated by the Joint Committee’s next meeting to gain an understanding as to how the Universal Credit roll-out was going in Lincoln.

The Joint Committee placed on record its thanks to the Head of the Shared Service and his team for their fantastic work in preparation for the roll-out of Universal Credit.