Guidance

LA Welfare Direct 2/2023

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

Happy New Year!

I think I can still just about say that and I hope you all had a good break over the Christmas period.

In my editorial of the December edition, I mentioned my attendance at one of the Housing Benefit Award Accuracy and Verify Earnings and Pensions workshops. We have since facilitated a number of virtual sessions for those that could not attend the face-to-face ones. I managed one of these and, again, I was pleased with the discussions generated, good practice shared and our ability to clarify how the schemes run in more detail. Thank you to all of you who have attended. We will be collating everything captured at the events to feedback to all local authorities and we will also be considering improvement suggestions going forward.

We will be launching the schemes later this month for the financial year ending March 2024, so expect the more detailed communications on both.

In this month’s edition you can read about progress on the transformation of the Single Housing Benefit Extract returns to the Department for Work and Pensions using a real time Application Programme Interface. This is a pivotal piece of work that will provide significant advantages in how we use your Housing Benefit data and, in turn, improve a variety of the services we provide back to you.

I’ll leave it there and wish you well in delivering your annual billing/uprating for the forthcoming financial year which I’m sure is taking up much of your time at present!

All the best for 2023.

Darren Baker
Head of Fraud, Error, Debt, Change and Communications Team

Immediate action: Minimum software needed for Housing Benefit subsidy claim forms and estimates

1. As a result of changes to the Housing Benefit Subsidy Data Collection system the minimum software needed to enable local authorities (LAs) to open, update and send estimate claim forms to the Local Authority Partnership, Engagement and Delivery (LA-PED) division has changed.

2. With immediate effect, please ensure that you are using Adobe Acrobat Reader (or Adobe Acrobat Reader DC) - Adobe Acrobat Reader Version 2022.001.xxx.

3. A free software update can be downloaded from https://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/

4. If you have any further queries on this subject email [email protected]

Help needed: Monitoring of Searchlight to prove the case for more Universal Credit claimant data

5. LAs use Searchlight to help them deliver a range of welfare services and a large number of LAs have asked for more Universal Credit (UC) claimant data to be made available to help them do this more efficiently and effectively.

6. LA-PED division’s Local Government Data Sharing Transformation Team has been working to increase the UC claimant data available through Searchlight for the following LA services:

• Housing Benefit (HB)
• Council Tax Support
• Discretionary Housing Payments
• Local Welfare Provision
• Adult Social Care Financial Assessments.

7. Note: LAs may refer to some of these under other names.

8. Our initial assessment suggests there would be significant financial benefits for LAs if we can deliver the changes you have requested since UC went live. We now need more statistical information to prove that this is the case.

9. If you agree there is a shortfall in UC claimant data on Searchlight for any or all of the services listed above, then do consider getting in touch to help us get solid evidence so we can state the case for change on your behalf.

10. We look forward to hearing from you at [email protected] at which point we will provide more information about what we need from you. You will then be given time to consider the detail and you won’t be obliged to undertake any monitoring until you are happy to commit. Please respond to the email address above by 20 February 2023 if you wish to be involved.

Update: Transformation of the Single Housing Benefit Extract returns to DWP using a real time Application Programme Interface

11. Since the last update in LAWD lite 4/2022, DWP’s LA-PED division, working with LA IT software suppliers, has successfully completed the Proof of Concept testing for the SHBE Application Programme Interface (API).

Next steps

12. From February 2023, LA-PED will be working with LA IT suppliers to develop the testing solutions for SHBE API. This means that the project is currently on-track to start testing the solution with LA early adopters this spring, with onboarding of all LAs in summer 2023.

13. Once the testing is complete LAs will have a limited period, (to be confirmed nearer the date), to download, test and implement the SHBE API software. Therefore, it is important that LA Revenues and Benefits teams work closely with their IT teams to ensure they plan now to have the capacity to make the necessary changes, in summer 2023. Given the importance of this change, once we have notified LAs of specific dates, we will be seeking assurance from LAs about their ability to do so. LA-PED will provide support to LAs that have problems implementing the changes.

14. Following implementation of the final solution there will be a period of dual running to ensure the accuracy of data and address any issues which impact LA’s performance measurement figures before switching off the existing solution.

15. If you need any further information email [email protected]

Update: Housing Benefit Matching Service

16. This update is to inform LAs of changes and improvements affecting Housing Benefit Matching Service (HBMS) rules and processes.

17. DWP continues to seek and identify improvements to the suite of HBMS rules, with the objective of improving both the data quality and reducing nugatory referrals.

18. LAs will be aware that all HBMS rules form part of the HBAA Initiative.

Rule HBRP103

19. This rule is designed to identify HB claimants or partners who fail to declare receipt of State Pension.

20. A review of this rule was carried out during 2022, to understand the usefulness of the HBMS referrals, given that Automated Transfer to LA Systems (ATLAS) alerts were sending similar information to LAs.

21. We engaged with over 30 LAs, asking a variety of questions about the process and the quality of the cases this rule produces.

22. The outcome of the review concluded that:

• the rule should continue to run as it generated positive outcomes nationally with high financial return on overpayments, and
• strong evidence, from LAs, in its usefulness to retain as a ‘safety net’, when ATLAS alerts had not been actioned timeously.

23. It was also clear that LAs needed further support in understanding the guidance on how to action referrals for this rule correctly, so that these referrals do not appear again. In other words, to ensure a monetary value is populated on LAs front end IT systems for both claimant and partner within the following fields:

• Claimant’s Income from State Retirement Pension – Linked to SHBE Benefit Extract) Field 105

• Partner’s Income from State Retirement Pension – Linked to SHBE Field 162

24. Failure to take appropriate action results in the SHBE (which in turn informs the rule referral generation) not being updated; leading to the same referrals being issued to LAs to action again.

25. To support LAs, the HBMS rules guide is in the process of being refreshed and is expected to be launched in the summer. It should be shared with all appropriate members of staff, especially HBMS processers and managers.

Rule HBIN004

26. This rule is designed to identify failure to notify the LA of the death of an HB claimant.

27. Again, a review of this rule was carried out during 2022, to understand the usefulness of the HBMS referrals, given that ATLAS alerts were sending similar information to LAs.

28. The outcome of the review concluded that:

• the rule should continue to run as it generated positive outcomes nationally with high financial return on overpayments.
• strong evidence, from LAs, in its usefulness to retain as a ‘safety net’, when ATLAS alerts had not been actioned timeously; and
• a number of further improvements could be made to the rule to improve the quality of referrals.

Improvements to this rule from 30 January 2023

29. The rule will:

• be extended to match against both claimant and partner
• reduce the delay on issuing identified referrals from six weeks to ten days

30. Note: This time delay was originally designed to allow LAs time to action notified death from other sources, for example Tell Us Once, reducing nugatory referrals. However, LAs have indicated that such notifications are normally actioned as a priority and a six-week delay is unnecessarily long.

31. Following the implementation of these changes, LAs should be aware that there may be an increase of referrals against this rule for the first three months. The HBMS rules guide (which can be found on Glasscubes) will be updated to reflect the changes and the enhanced referrals will be available to LAs from week commencing 30 January 2023.

32. LA-PED is also currently looking into a further suggested improvement to include HB dependants in this data match. However, due to very poor population of dependant’s National Insurance number and date of birth on LA IT systems, which are key to any data match, this potential change has been included on our backlog of improvements. We are considering how we might work with LAs to improve population of the data ahead of submitting a change to the rule.

Change of tax year for HBMS self-assessed income rules

33. At present, HBMS self-assessment referrals are matched against the tax year 2020 to 2021.

34. From April 2023, HBMS referrals will be matched against the tax year 2021 to 2022.

35. This means all LAs will receive higher volumes of referrals and possible duplications within the first month of this change. However, volumes will start to decrease by month two of implementation.

36. Note: As stated in LAWD8/2021 changes to the tax year for HBMS will now be implemented in April of each year in line with HM Revenue and Customs procedures.

37. The following rules, which are detailed in the HBMS rules guide, will be impacted:

• HBSA002
• HBSA003
• HBSA004

Further suggestions for improvements to both HBMS rules and HBMS codes

38. DWP continues to adopt a continuous improvement approach to HBMS rules, aimed at improving data quality, reducing nugatory referrals and identifying opportunities to introduce new rules. This in turn supports both LA efficiencies and better targeted fraud and error intervention activity.

39. If you have any suggestions as to how LA-PED can further improve any of the HBMS rules, including generating new rules or changes to the result codes that are returned to DWP, do send them to [email protected]

Update: Care Home Information Service

40. DWP is working to deliver a data sharing solution for Care Home admissions and discharge notifications between LAs and DWP. The aim is to ensure that all admissions and discharges are notified promptly, to minimise the risks of overpayments and underpayments at a moment of significant stress for individuals and their families.

41. Since our last update in LAWD9/2022, LA-PED has continued work with Adult Social Care (ASC) IT software suppliers to design and develop the Care Home Information Service solution; more commonly referred to as CHIS.

42. We have sourced several LAs to work with us as part of our early adopter trial and we would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those LAs who volunteered:

• Dundee City Council
• East Riding of Yorkshire Council
• Portsmouth City Council
• Carmarthenshire County Council

Latest position

43. The early adopter trial will be starting from the 13 February 2023 for a period of three months.

44. During the trial, we will be testing the scenarios for permanent admissions where a funding decision has been made for citizens entitled to Attendance Allowance only. Attendance Allowance agents will use this data to make a decision on a citizen’s Attendance Allowance payments.

45. Throughout the duration of the trial, we will be dual running alongside the current business as usual clerical process.

46. DWP has been working with our early adopters through a series of workshops and preparing necessary system access in readiness for the trial.

Next steps

47. We will continue to host regular weekly checkpoints with early adopter LAs during the trial period to monitor progress.

48. We will also be gathering management information from Attendance Allowance agents during the trial period and the outcomes will be used to support and inform our future wider implementation approach.

49. Finally, we are working with all LAs responsible for ASC to onboard them onto the DWP API gateway, in readiness for implementation.

50. If you need any further information, do not hesitate to contact [email protected]

Practitioners’ Operational Group and LA Welfare Steering Group

51. The last LA Welfare Steering Group (LAWSG) meeting took place on 19 January 2023. Agenda items included LA Welfare issues Highlight Report, Move to Universal Credit and Cost of Living.

52. Both groups’ meetings are held bi-monthly (and alternately) so the next Practitioners’ Operational Group meeting is scheduled to take place on 22 February 2023.

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

HB Decisions with the Upper Tribunal

54. Decision Making and Appeals Leeds have not been made aware of any new HB/CTB decisions by the Upper Tribunal.

55. 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.

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

New Legislation

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

• Rent Officers (Housing Benefit and Universal Credit Functions) (Modification) Order 2023. SI 2023, laid on 30 January 2023.

• Universal Credit (Administrative Earnings Threshold) (Amendment) Regulations 2023. SI 2023/7, laid on 9 January 2023.

• Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) (Payment of Claims) (Amendment) Regulations 2023. 2023, laid on 12 January 2023.

• Mesothelioma Lump Sum Payments (Conditions and Amounts) (Amendment) Regulations 2023. SI 2023, laid on 12 January 2023.

• Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2023. SI 2023, laid on 16 January 2023.

• Benefit Cap (Annual Limit) (Amendment) Regulations 2023. SI 2023, laid on 16 January 2023.

• Guaranteed Minimum Pensions Increase Order 2023. SI 2023, laid on 16 January 2023.

• Occupational Pension Schemes (Administration, Investment, Charges and Governance) and Pensions Dashboards (Amendment) Regulations 2023. SI 2023, laid on 30 January 2023.

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

What’s new on our HB pages on GOV.UK

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

Document Type	Subject	Link
LAWD lite 1/2023	Benefit cap levels increasing from April 2023 Urgent reminder: Deadline for the submission of Housing Benefit Subsidy final tested claims and assurance reports/audit certificates Completing the move to Universal Credit: Learning from the Discovery phase	LAWD lite 1/2023
HB circular A1/2023	Housing Benefit uprating for the financial year ending March 2024	HB circular A1/2023