Forum Home → Discussion → Universal credit administration → Thread
‘Landlords slam ‘shambolic’ UC scheme’
http://news.rla.org.uk/landlords-slam-shambolic-universal-credit-scheme/
‘Landlords have criticised the way the Department for Work and Pensions has handled their enquiries and say that the process for requesting direct payments from the Government is too long.’
‘The transfer from Local Housing Allowance to Universal Credit has also been slammed, with complaints about missing and delayed payments leaving tenants in arrears. In fact the problems are so extreme many landlords say they will no longer rent to any benefit claimants’
You can only say it so many times.
As a nation we have become heavily dependent on using the private rented sector.
The Private rented sector is now pulling up the drawbridge on single UC claimants.
When the benefit cap impacts on the two bed + market later this year ......... we will be left with a fractured model not just in London but across large parts of the country.
http://news.rla.org.uk/landlords-slam-shambolic-universal-credit-scheme/
‘In fact the problems are so extreme many landlords say they will no longer rent to any benefit claimants’
Job Done! Isn’t this the desired effect, condemning those on benefits to destitution?
Question for fellow advisers working for Social Landlords, is anyone having any success holding DWP to account for failure to provide the notifications of tenants claiming UC? It is supposed to be an opportunity to put advice and support in place at the earliest opportunity. My understanding is that it is a nationwide issue that the notification letters are hit and miss with seemingly no rhyme or reason for instances when they are sent or not sent, but this is just anecdotal. Is anyone taking this up with DWP?
After a quick discussion with our rent collection team, it appears that “hit or miss” is the case here. Some notifications are received promptly, some after considerable delay, and some not at all. There also appears to be similar considerable variation in the time taken to process APAs.
We are supposed to have regular working group meetings with the regional DWP UC co-ordinators to discuss these issues, but DWP routinely cancel or postpone meetings, and when they do occur, problems are explained away as “training issues”. As might be expected, from DWP’s perspective, everything in the UC garden is rosy and going according to plan…...“on time and on budget” etc.
[ Edited: 21 Apr 2016 at 08:31 am by Benny Fitzpatrick ]For what it’s worth Sarah I’ll send it through to the UC team via stakeholders and let you know when I hear anything.
My LA is hoping to be part of a social landlord awarding APA pilot.
Will let you know if it happens.
Yes I think we are ‘waiting to hear’ about Trusted Partner too.
‘For what it’s worth ...’ seems to be the operative phrase Daphne! But thanks anyway.
Two notifications received today dated 13 April informing us that tenants went onto UC on 26 February. Hardly an opportunity to put timely budgeting support and advice in place.
Delays are an issue as well as non-notifications as well as accuracy.
One of the cases, the letter stated date of claim 26 Feb but when I phoned the date of claim was 1 March but no explanation could be given as to the discrepancy.
Two notifications received today dated 13 April informing us that tenants went onto UC on 26 February. Hardly an opportunity to put timely budgeting support and advice in place.
Delays are an issue as well as non-notifications as well as accuracy.
One of the cases, the letter stated date of claim 26 Feb but when I phoned the date of claim was 1 March but no explanation could be given as to the discrepancy.
shambles.
This is the response via operational stakeholders -
• What is the process for notification letters being issued - automatic/manual?
The letter notifying a Registered Social Landlord of a claim to Universal Credit (UC) is referred to as UC179. This letter is a manually issued letter.
• At what point are letters sent out?
This manually issued letter is issued by a member of staff at a UC service centre once a completed claim for UC is made.
• Is there any way of checking whether letters are being sent out?
UC Service Centres have undertaken checks on whether UC 179 forms are being issued. However although forms are being issued it may not have been sent to the correct and current address for the registered landlord.
• What can be done to ensure that notifications go out in 100% of cases?
As a result of the feedback from groups such as the National Housing Federation, we have recently undertaken a new design initiative to improve the process. The new approach will involve the redesign of the form and the ability to issue this by email. The high level design was approved recently and will be entering detailed design in early May. We are currently working with stakeholders to identify email addresses for all Registered Landlords and Local Authority Housing sections. Once the design is in live service this will be communicated to Landlords and also to Partner managers.
Thank you. Today dealt with more cases with different date of claim stated on letter to date stated by UC helpline.
This is the response via operational stakeholders -
... What can be done to ensure that notifications go out in 100% of cases?
As a result of the feedback from groups such as the National Housing Federation, we have recently undertaken a new design initiative to improve the process. The new approach will involve the redesign of the form and the ability to issue this by email. The high level design was approved recently and will be entering detailed design in early May. We are currently working with stakeholders to identify email addresses for all Registered Landlords and Local Authority Housing sections. Once the design is in live service this will be communicated to Landlords and also to Partner managers.
Housing associations should now have been contacted by DWP asking for a dedicated UC e-mail contact for new claims notifications, and the full digital service. Deadline to get this contact information to DWP expires today.
http://www.housing.org.uk/latest-updates/dedicated-contact-details-now-needed-for-universal-credit/
[ Edited: 30 Nov 2016 at 09:31 am by shawn mach ]
We have now reached a point, where we have examples of homeless people telling us, they want to stop their UC…. as they believe that some private landlords will only take them on if they get HB/JSA…..which does seem to confirm the original headline story that (some) landlords don’t like UC.
http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/policy/dwp-to-change-universal-credit-procedures/7015219.article
I think thks reflects what Daphne reported in #10 above.
Housing associations should now have been contacted by DWP asking for a dedicated UC e-mail contact for new claims notifications, and the full digital service. Deadline to get this contact information to DWP expires today.
Its not too late for housing associations to get their e-mail contact details to UC to enable direct notifications of decisions - the process is due to go live from 20 June 2016.
.
DWP REJECTS UNIVERSAL CREDIT APA APPLICATIONS
http://news.rla.org.uk/dwp-rejects-univdit-applications/
[H]undreds of [landlords are] complaining the DWP is refusing to deal with their applications claiming they ‘could not open attachments’ and as a result is entitled to delete them.
DWP says the applications in question have either been sent to the ‘wrong’ email address or have been rejected as they included supporting evidence documents which should not have been attached.
The DWP said the non-secure system can only be used to make the initial APA application and supporting documents must be sent by post.
There are worries that DWP will not be able to ‘marry up’ electronic application s with postal details and that applications will be rejected.
‘Universal Credit pilot council calls for suspension - The council, which has been piloting the welfare change since spring last year, said UC claims are taking longer than expected to process – “eight weeks or more” – and the consequent delayed payments mean private landlords are facing “tough decisions to start eviction processes”.’
It’s all going so well….
And, for those who don’t have access to Inside Housing -
Universal Credit pilot council calls for ‘urgent’ suspension of roll-out - publicsectorexecutive.com
A DWP spokesperson downplayed the importance of the letter, calling the link made by the council between rent arrears and welfare reform “misleading”.
“The reasons for rent arrears are complex and to link it to welfare reform is misleading,....lalalalalalala, fingers in my ears, I can’t hear you…....