Guidance

LA Welfare Direct 11/2023

Updated 12 December 2023

Contact

If you have queries about the:

• technical content of this bulletin then contact details are given at the end of each article
• general content and distribution of this bulletin, contact: [email protected]

Who should read

All Housing Benefit staff

Action

For information

Editorial

Welcome to November’s edition, which covers several topics which I am sure will be of interest to you all.

Not least the update about the national rollout of the Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE) Application Programme Interface. Being able to receive ‘live’ data will make such a difference to my team who manage Housing Benefit (HB) performance. Working with data which isn’t three months old is most certainly a huge step in the right direction for us.  

The HB speed of processing statistics for the period April to June 2023 were recently published. Nothing of significance to report on the national picture and our Performance Relationship Managers continue to maintain regular dialogue with those authorities which are not able to process new claims and changes of circumstances quickly. I’d also like to add our Business Consultants stand by to support local authorities (LAs) - we remain committed to supporting authorities so that the customer experience is improved and sustained. We are always glad to receive requests from authorities for our consultancy service. So, whether it is speed of processing, debt recovery, HB Award Accuracy, Discretionary Housing Payments or anything else Welfare Services related, if you are interested, please let me know by dropping an email to: [email protected]   We have also completed three of our HB overpayment/debt workshops but there are still spaces at some of the remaining events. The article within explains how to secure a place and I would urge you to do so as we have received very positive feedback from those LA colleagues who have attended so far.

All the very best and, as ever, please continue to stay safe as we endure, what it seems, storm after storm.

Jonathan Bottomer
Head of the Performance Development Team

Further issues with adding deduction reasons to the Local Council Tax Reduction data share  

1. In October’s LAWD10/2023 lite bulletin, the Local Authority Partnership, Engagement and Delivery (LA-PED) division advised that the nine added deduction reasons and amounts were due to be reintroduced to the Local Council Tax Reduction (LCTR) data share on Wednesday 25 October 2023. 

2. We believed that we had learned lessons from the earlier attempt to deploy these additional data items by working with Universal Credit (UC) colleagues to develop enhanced test files and clear documentation. We shared these files with your local authority (LA) IT software suppliers who confirmed each test file had passed their acceptance test and would operate as described in the documentation. Therefore, we believed this additional work and scrutiny would result in a successful deployment.

3. Unfortunately, this was not the case. On Thursday 26 October we were made aware that similar issues experienced in the April 2023 release had also occurred again. In other words, LAs were not always able to tell if the UC award was correct because part of the deduction data was missing.

4. We asked for some LAs to provide examples showing the error and, in response, we reverted to the earlier version of the files by Friday 27 October. Unfortunately, this means that the files still do not include the nine deduction descriptions.  

5. We fully appreciate and apologise for the issues and inconvenience this has caused LAs. We are working as quickly as possible to understand why the error was repeated and we are examining ways of introducing changes to the deployment process that would mitigate any errors occurring.

6. We will provide an update as soon as we can but, in the meantime, if you have any questions do email: [email protected]

Update: Transformation of the SHBE returns using a real time Application Programme Interface

SHBE Application Programme Interface pilot

7. Since the last update in September’s LAWD10/2023 bulletin, the early adopter pilot of the SHBE (Single Housing Benefit Extract) Application Programme Interface (API) has continued. The early adopter LAs are utilising the performance enhancements we advised about in the bulletin, to provide assurance that the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP’s) revised solution is working as expected and can handle the large amounts of payment data incoming from LAs.

8. We are now working with early adopter LAs and their IT software suppliers to gain the final assurances needed before starting national rollout.

National rollout and next steps

9. DWP will start national rollout of SHBE API week commencing 20 November 2023.

10. All LA IT software suppliers have released the SHBE API functionality for LAs to download and install into their live environment. LAs will be going live in tranches to ensure DWP and LA IT software suppliers can provide support if needed.

11. To support LAs through national rollout, DWP has started:

• issuing national rollout guidance, specific to each LA IT software supplier, alongside a frequently asked questions guide. (If your national rollout products are not yet on Glasscubes, these will be made available in the next few weeks)
• holding all-LA calls in partnership with individual LA IT software suppliers to provide an overview of SHBE API and answer LA queries

12. If you are unavailable for the all-LA call specific to your LA IT software supplier, invites to mop-up sessions will be made available through Glasscubes towards the end of November 2023.

13. As previously advised in LAWD10/2023, LA Revenues and Benefits teams are reminded to:

• review and complete the activities advised in LAWD9/2023 (paragraph 21)
• once available, ensure your software release is tested and installed into live promptly
• utilise any products or tools made available by your LA IT software supplier

14. We are aware that some LAs that have not been part of the early adopter pilot are concerned about the impact of the new solution. However, given the positive feedback from the early adopters, we believe it is even more important that all LAs are onboarded, so they are able to address any perceived problems quickly.

15. DWP will be working to onboard all LAs before ‘end of year’ activities begin towards February 2024. This is to take pressure off LAs, as we understand that this is a busy time of year. We also understand some LAs on-boarding might slip into February and will be working to support these LAs in completing the set-up and getting up to speed as soon as possible to cause minimal disruption.

16. Further details of the departments’ plan to onboard all LAs is being discussed during the specific LA IT software supplier’s all-LA calls.

17. Once all LAs are onboard, and after a period of dual running to ensure the consistency of the data from both feeds, we’ll then move to end the old SHBE process.

18. If you need any further information, email: [email protected] 

New Carers Support Payment in Scotland

19. The Scottish Government’s new benefit, Carer Support Payment (CSP), will open for new applications in pilot areas from 20 November 2023.

20. This new payment will be administered by Social Security Scotland and replace Carer’s Allowance for claimants residing in Scotland.

21. Carers who are not already in receipt of Carer’s Allowance and living in Dundee City, Perth and Kinross and the Western Isles LA areas, will be the first to be able to apply for CSP from 20 November 2023.

22. Further LA areas will be introduced as CSP rolls out by nationwide across Scotland by Autumn 2024.

23. Customers living in Scotland who are already getting Carer’s Allowance cannot apply for CSP. Their claims will be automatically transferred to CSP between February 2024 and March 2025.

Impact on LAs

24. LA IT software suppliers are making the required changes to HB systems and will provide further updates when this has been completed.

25. Further guidance about CSP will be issued shortly.

Housing Benefit overpayment/debt workshops for LAs

26. We previously advised in LAWD9/2023 the Local Authority Performance, Engagement and Delivery (LA-PED) division would be holding a series of Housing Benefit (HB) overpayment/debt workshops for local authorities (LAs) running from October 2023 through to January 2024.

27. The workshops are aimed at HB recovery leaders and the objectives are to:

• raise the profile of HB debt recovery within LAs
• ensure the understanding of debts recovered through Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits is embedded
• obtain any good practice to refresh the Overpayments Good Practice Guide
• share any ideas from attendees relating to dealing with recovery in the current social economic climate and in the future
• further understand any qualitative information not reflected in the HB debt statistics

28. Many of the places at the workshops have been reserved, however, there is still availability in some of the venues.

29. We originally issued the ‘expression of interest’ invite directly to each LA’s single inbox on 12 September 2023. Those LAs who missed this original invitation can contact: [email protected] to secure a place at the following face-to-face workshops.

30. Regions with workshops that still have availability at time of publishing are:

East – Bury St Edmonds, Tuesday 12 December 2023 – Venue

Bury St Edmonds Jobcentre Plus
St Andrews House
St Andrews Street North
Bury St Edmonds
IP33 1TT

Wales – Cardiff city centre Wednesday 13 December 2023 – Venue

Government Hub
Ty William Morgan
6 Central Square
Cardiff
CF10 1EP

North East – Longbenton, Thursday 11 January 2024 – Venue

Benton Park View
Benton Park Road
Longbenton
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE98 1YX

London – Thursday 18 January 2024 or Wednesday 31 January 2024 – Venue

Caxton House
Tothill Street
Westminster
SW1H 9NA

Scotland – Falkirk, Tuesday 23 January 2024 – Venue

Falkirk Jobcentre Plus
Heron House
10b Wellside Place
Falkirk
FK1 5SE

31. In addition to the face-to-face workshops, we will hold some virtual workshops for those that cannot attend in person. If your LA has not already expressed an interest in a virtual workshop, you can contact: [email protected]

Publication of HB speed of processing statistics for April to June 2023

32. DWP published the HB speed of processing statistics and associated data for quarter 1 (Q1) of Financial Year Ending (FYE) March 2024 on Wednesday 25 October 2023.

Some key points

• During Q1 of FYE March 2024 there were 98,000 new HB claims and 1.3 million changes of circumstances to existing HB claims processed in Great Britain (GB)
• For new HB claims, this is a decrease of 1,300 (1%) since last quarter, and an increase of 8,300 (9%) when compared to a year earlier
• For change of circumstances to existing HB claims, this is a decrease of 2.1 million (61%) since last quarter and a decrease of 96,000 (7%) when compared to a year earlier

New claims

• The average time taken to process a new HB claim during the latest quarter was 22 calendar days. This is two days higher than last quarter and the same as a year earlier

Change of circumstances

• The average number of days taken to process a change of circumstance to an existing HB claim during the latest quarter was eight calendar days. This is five days higher than last quarter and the same as a year earlier

To note

33. The following LAs have been omitted this quarter due to data concerns:

• the HB speed of processing statistics do not include figures for Gloucester LA because of a cyber-attack suffered by the authority impacting data provision. Therefore, speed of processing figures for Gloucester will be omitted in line with our standard approach for handling missing data or data with quality concerns. Analysis for Gloucester using historical data shows that the GB and regional (South West) level speed of processing figures are not impacted by the omission of Gloucester data. Volumes of both types of HB claims are likely to be affected by less than 1% at GB level and around 4% at regional (South West) level
• Hackney LA have now resumed the supply of HB speed of processing data to DWP. Their data is included within this release but because recovery work in Hackney is ongoing, speed of processing figures are still likely to be impacted

Latest update: Move to UC

34. During December 2023, Move to UC activity will extend into Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

35. Our expansion for October 2023 through to December 2023 includes a smaller number of Jobcentre Plus Districts than previous months, as we bring in Tax Credit couples claims and will be issuing Migration Notices to areas already within Move to UC activity.

36. For Migration Notices that would have had a deadline date for the claimant to apply for UC (that fell between 11 December 2023 and 5 January 2024), 30 days has been automatically added to this date.

Practitioners’ Operational Group and LA Welfare Steering Group

37. The last Practitioners’ Operational Group (POG) meeting took place on 19 October 2023. Agenda items included LA Welfare issues Highlight Report, LA funding, Performance Measurement Review update, HB fraud investigations, Move to UC, Data Sharing and Valuation Office Agency forms.

38. Both groups’ meetings are held bi-monthly (and alternately) so the next LA Welfare Steering Group meeting is scheduled to take place on 23 November 2023.

39. If you have any questions regarding topics raised at these consultation groups, you can email: [email protected]

HB decisions by the Upper Tribunal

40. Decision Making and Appeals Leeds have not been made aware of any new HB decisions by the Upper Tribunal since May’s edition of this bulletin. 

41. A selection of decisions of the UT are published on their website. Do be aware that there is an undefined time lapse between decisions being issued and their appearance on the website.

42. If you have any queries about cases before the UT Judges or courts, please contact us by email at: [email protected]

New Legislation

43. The following Statutory Instruments (SIs) have been laid:

• 2023 No.1144 The Social Security (Habitual Residence and Past Presence, and Capital Disregards) (Amendment) Regulations 2023, made on 26 October 2023
• 2023 No.1142 The Allocation of Housing and Homelessness (Eligibility) (England) and Persons Subject to Immigration Control (Housing Authority Accommodation and Homelessness) (Amendment) (No 2) Regulations 2023, made on 26 October 2023

44. Copies of SIs can now be downloaded from legislation.gov.uk

What’s new on our HB pages on www.gov.uk

45. The following items can be found on the website link shown:

Document Type	Subject	Link
LAWD10/2023	1. Editorial – 2. Income Support Legal Entitlements and Administration Practices exercise – 3. Student uprating for the academic year 2023 to 2024 disregards for travel, books and equipment – 4. Update: Transformation of the SHBE returns using a real time Application Programme Interface – 5. HB recovered by DWP’s Debt management – 6. Discretionary Housing Payments mid-year estimate form for financial year ending March 2024 (England and Wales only) – 7. LAs accessing DWP, HM Revenue & Customs and Home Office derived data from outside of the United Kingdom – 8. LA HB subsidy workshops in early 2024 – 9. Invitation to the next Data sharing and IT consultation and engagement forum – 10. HB Debt Recovery statistics for April 2022 to March 2023 – 11. Latest update: Move to UC – 12. Practitioners’ Operational Group and LA Welfare Steering Group – 13. DWP’s Performance Measurement is recruiting HB Review Officers – 14. Secondment opportunities in LA-PED division – 15. HB decisions with the Upper Tribunal – 16. New Legislation – 17. What’s new on our HB pages on www.gov.uk	LAWD 10/2023
LAWD10/2023 lite	1. Additional Universal Credit deductions reasons and amounts to be added to the Local Council Tax Reduction data share – 2. Reminder: Discretionary Housing Payment mid-year estimate form (England and Wales only) – 3. Plan to expand the Housing Benefit Debt Service for LA Council Tax debt recovery – 4. Audit/compliance check of the Employee Authentication Service to start in early 2024	LAWD10/2023 lite
Circular HB A6/2023	The Social Security (Habitual Residence and Past Presence, and Capital Disregards) (Amendment) Regulations 2023	Circular HB A7/2023