Support and Exceptions Working Group
(SEWG)
Universal Credit & Personal Budgeting
Support Update
Teleconference – 9th July 2013 version: 1.0
Graham Mowat, DWP
Pathfinder
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As planned expanded to Wigan taking new claims to Universal Credit, planned
to expand into Oldham and Warrington at the end of July.
IT systems and operational services are up and running and available to staff
and claimants both in Wigan and Ashton –under-Lyne.
Testing Universal Credit through a careful and controlled approach with a
small set of claimants. As their circumstances change, Pathfinder will test
more complex processes.
We are learning from Pathfinder, applying lessons from live testing and quality
checking to inform progressive rollout.
The majority of claims in Ashton –under-Lyne have been made online and
most claimants found the process relatively easy.
Claimants are making use of the internet services provided by the Local
Authorities.
We are already seeing people moving into work as you would expect with this
claimant group.
Pathfinder
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Feedback from Oldham, Warrington and Wigan Jobcentres on the claimant
commitment remains positive.
Anecdotal evidence suggests claimants feel more ‘invested in’ and ‘impressed’
that the Department are interested in them and their progress to work.
The IT system is working as expected and has been consistently available
since go live.
Real Time Information is working as planned.
Our Service Centres in Bolton and Glasgow have been dealing with enquiries,
new claim action and change of circumstances.
High rate of access to the Universal Credit service via the website.
Managing Universal Credit claims through our Operations Control Centre
allowing us to improve practical details of the process.
Local Support Services (LSS)
Local Funding
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Close to agreement with Local Authority associations about the management
of local funding.
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This will provide a basis for Commercial colleagues to start developing the
Overarching Partnership Agreement document, basically a Memorandum of
Understanding between the Department and the LA Associations.
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Will include a template Delivery Partnership Agreement that will allow LSS
services to be commissioned from partner organisations at local level to
support claimants.
LSS Outcomes
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The LSS team have also been working with the LA associations to examine
the measurable outcomes that the LSSF should be looking to deliver and will
be working through a Straw Man approach to measuring LSSF outcomes with
the LA Associations.
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We are also planning to involve the LSS Housing and Voluntary Sector
Reference Group in this work to help draw on the expertise of these sectors.
Local Support Services (LSS)
LSS Volumes
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The LSSF Volumetrics Working Group is developing models that will estimate
the total cost of funding the LSS nationally and will also guide how available
resources get divided up between LAs.
The group is using data supplied by LAs about how long specific services will
take to deliver and we are also approaching specific Housing and Voluntary
Sector stakeholders to better understand the costs of providing support to
specific claimants (e.g. deaf/blind claimants).
Once we are happy with the modelling work we will enter formal negotiations
with HMT about a final allocation to support LSS.
Personal Budgeting Support
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Further successful workshops with Minister, Secretary of State, DCLG and
HM Treasury sharing work to date on ensuring payment of housing costs
(rent) under UC and agreed rent arrears trigger for Pathfinder.
Lord Freud speech to the CIH 27th June 2013.
Continuing to work closely with Housing Policy Division to develop persistent
underpayment of rent arrears policy for Pathfinder.
The business process now in place to deal with these trigger cases has now
been designed with a view to introduction into the Pathfinder in September.
Continuing to Support development of UC Learning & Development APA
guidance for pathfinder staff. Feedback from Pathfinder Learning &
Development Officers (LDO’s) used to refine training modules.
‘Training for Trainers’ event with Pathfinder LDO’s held 6th June 2013.
Held a successful workshop with Housing Associations (HAs) in Pathfinder
area on 20th June.
Personal Budgeting Support
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Working with Consumer Focus to host a workshop of the major utility
companies (and related stakeholders) to develop a UC future relationship
model.
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Wigan pathfinder site went live on 01.07.13, with PBS in place at Wigan LA
who have established good working relationship with Wigan JC+ office and
they are keen to positively promote the PBS offer to UC claimants.
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Continuing to support implementation of the detailed business processes for
APA in pathfinder, involving closer working with the HA s, the implementation
team and linked LAs - workshops held 2nd July.
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Continuing to support and monitor APA detailed business process updates for
pathfinder with the Bolton Operation Control Centre as we ‘learn as we go’
during live running.
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Continue to input into Q&A and briefing requests around the APA service
design.
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Revise and update the APA service design and delivery as part of the UC
blueprint ensuring fit with wider UC approach covering non standard claimants
and the next phase of the local support services framework.
Personal Budgeting Support
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Revise and update the APA service design and delivery as part of the UC
blueprint ensuring fit with wider UC approach covering non standard claimants
and the next phase of the local support services framework.
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Data sharing / MOU work nearing completion with Pathfinder LAs so we can
do a 'warm handoff' rather than a 'cold transfer‘.
Claimant Preparation (financial)
• We have re-focused some of the work of the PBS team to concentrate on the
broader considerations of preparing claimants for the financial changes that UC
bring.
• Sandra Robinson will lead this supported by Stuart Walton and Elaine Baker.
• The team is mobilising to determine the full scope of the work.
Priorities
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National Support Summary including online and other resources & tools Produce a comprehensive summary of all available national tools, and
resources particularly those available online.
Inform LSS proposition - Use the knowledge and experience gained in
designing and implementing PBS to support the LSS team in developing a
proposition for delivering LSS
Claimant Preparation (financial)
Next Steps
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Ensuring payment of rent - To take forward the next steps on “ensuring the
payment of rent under UC” as agreed with DCLG and HMT. In particular to
develop plans for increasing the role of social landlords. Set up a SEWG
‘landlords’ sub-group to support this work.
Budgeting Club - To develop plans to promote and embed the Budgeting
Club approach as a standalone solution, and as part of the LSS PBS toolkit
(subject to the Evaluation Report due imminently).
Universal Credit Personal Planner (UCPP) - To develop future iterations of
the UCPP; next version due end of August; evaluation underway with UC
Communications and User Interface Teams; scoping document re-drafted.