Author Title Author Name

UNIVERSAL CHALLENGE

What do YOU know?

Sara Woodall, Director of Corporate Housing Services, Accord Group

Introduction

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

Round one - starter for 10……

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

Conferring allowed!

Do you know when the new benefit will be introduced?

a) Oct 2013b) March 2015c) Oct 2017

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

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

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

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

A. Via a paper application formB. Only via the internetC. Face-to-face at specialist officesD. Only by telephoneE. Using a variety of different methods

How will Universal Credit be paid to people?

A. Weekly B. FortnightlyC. MonthlyD. Some other period

Who will apply for Universal Credit?

A. The individual

B. The household

C. The landlord (housing costs)

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

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?

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?

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

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

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?

Round four – playing by the rules…

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

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

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?

Round five – the answers..

•No loss of income at point of transfer

•Increases linked to CPI not RPI

•Possible total cap of £26k

Implications? •Arrears and debt

• Homelessness

• REAL poverty

• IT exclusion

• Access to training & jobs

• Pass the message on!

How could we work together?

What are you personally going to do about this agenda?