UNIVERSAL CHALLENGE What do YOU know?

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UNIVERSAL CHALLENGE What do YOU know?

• Sara Woodall, Director of Corporate Housing
  Services, Accord Group

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Introduction

• The government is planning and implementing lots
  of changes which will affect many people up and
  down the country. Lets see how much you know
  about the changes and get some ideas on how we
  can deal with them by working together.

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Round one - starter for 10

• Can you give the name of the new single benefit
  that the government is planning to introduce?
• Conferring allowed!

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• Do you know when the new benefit will be
  introduced?
• Oct 2013
• March 2015
• Oct 2017

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• Do you know which group or groups of people will
  be affected by this new benefit?

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Round one answers

• Universal Credit will be the new single
  integrated benefit
• Implemented Oct 2013 for new claims existing
  claims transferring up to Oct 2017

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• Universal Credit will replace
• Job Seekers Allowance
• Child tax credit child benefit
• Working tax credit
• Income support
• Employment support allowance
• Housing Benefit
• It can be claimed by anyone of working age
  dependant on income

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Round two - How are the government expecting
people to claim Universal Credit?

• A. Via a paper application form
• B. Only via the internet
• C. Face-to-face at specialist offices
• D. Only by telephone
• E. Using a variety of different methods

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How will Universal Credit be paid to people?

1. Weekly
2. Fortnightly
3. Monthly
4. Some other period

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Who will apply for Universal Credit?

• The individual
• B. The household
• C. The landlord (housing costs)

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Round two answers

• The Government are expected that ALL claims
  will be made on-line.
• Universal Credit will be paid to the household
  on a monthly basis, electronically into bank
  accounts
• The HB element of Universal Credit is unlikely
  to be paid direct to landlords

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Round three - Making work pay

• The aim behind Universal Credit is to incentivise
  people to work. For every extra 1 that someone
  earns, how much do you think will be left after
  benefit reductions?

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Overpayments and re-calculations

• If an applicants is paid too much Universal
  Credit, how will this be claimed back?
• What will happen to payments if an element of
  benefit has to be re-calculated?

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Round three answers

• UC reduced as people return to work and / or
  increase hours
• For each 1 of net income, 35p will be left
  after benefit reductions
• Couples with children and those with
  disabilities may keep more

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Round three answers

• If one component of UC is re-calculated or
  queried, the whole benefit can be suspended
• Overpayments can be recovered at up to 25 of
  ongoing benefit

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Round four playing by the rules

• To be eligible for Universal Credit, applicants
  have to meet certain conditions. If these are not
  met, what is the maximum period benefit can be
  suspended for?

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Round four playing by the rules

• Do you know any of the conditions that the
  government are imposing on applicants for
  universal credit?

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Round four the answers

• 3 years is the maximum that benefits can be
  suspended.
• The conditionality rules apply to individuals
  and for UC mean that
• Applicants have to seek work once youngest child
  is 5
• Have to prepare for work through volunteering
  etc
• Or else sanctions will apply

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Round five Better or worse off?

• Will existing applicants be better or worse off
  when they move to Universal Credit?
• Do you know how universal credit will be
  increased over time?

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Round five the answers..

• No loss of income at point of transfer
• Increases linked to CPI not RPI
• Possible total cap of 26k

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Implications?

• Arrears and debt
• Homelessness
• REAL poverty
• IT exclusion
• Access to training jobs
• Pass the message on!

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How could we work together? What are you
personally going to do about this agenda?