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DWP plans for both managed move to UC and voluntary move to UC
Interesting, thanks.
Any update on when they will start on couples?
We’ve been told ‘soon’ - is that helpful? They’ve been working on it and are keen to get it going…
Updated guidance
“We can advise that the guidance that we sent you in March 2023, concerning ‘guidance for teams working on managed migration’ has been updated. The specialist team’s guidance is highlighted bold below for your ease of reference.
The documents previously titled ‘work coach guidance’ and ‘front of house guidance’ have now been replaced [...]”
“You will find that there are links in the guidance which refer to DWP’s normal business process.
This guidance can be found in the House of Commons Library”
From DWP ‘Touchbase’ 7/7/23:
‘We continue to collaborate with key external stakeholders to develop and improve the move to UC Journey. Recently, following stakeholder feedback on help making a claim to UC, we added Help to Claim and Advice Local references to the Migration Notice and continue to test the effectiveness of the information contained within the Notice.’
Why, for goodness sake, were these basic common-sense items not included from first principles? Why has it taken feedback to get them to do it?
DWP is about to roll out Managed Migration for TC claimants in Derbyshire. They have told us as little as they can get away with, and we have still not seen the wording of the Notice they intend to use.
And of course there has been no action, as far as I know, regarding vulnerable claimants and/or UC being a big,fat target for fraudsters.
Oh, and the ‘journey’ buzzword. Arrrrrgggggggg…............................................
From DWP ‘Touchbase’ 7/7/23:
‘We continue to collaborate with key external stakeholders to develop and improve the move to UC Journey. Recently, following stakeholder feedback on help making a claim to UC, we added Help to Claim and Advice Local references to the Migration Notice and continue to test the effectiveness of the information contained within the Notice.’
Big thanks to Daphne for persuading the DWP to add details of https://advicelocal.uk
From DWP ‘Touchbase’ 7/7/23:
‘We continue to collaborate with key external stakeholders to develop and improve the move to UC Journey. Recently, following stakeholder feedback on help making a claim to UC, we added Help to Claim and Advice Local references to the Migration Notice and continue to test the effectiveness of the information contained within the Notice.’
Big thanks to Daphne for persuading the DWP to add details of https://advicelocal.uk
Seconded!
Indeed this helped no end as I was training on this subject this afternoon and was able to incorporate this change as we spoke. Daphne is duly credited in the training materials!
[ Edited: 10 Jul 2023 at 03:45 pm by Andrew Dutton ]DWP are asking for views on what information needs to be included in the leaflet that will be sent to legacy benefit claimants (that are not TC claimants) - in particular, they ask -
- what additional information would support the remaining legacy claimants prepare to Move to Universal Credit?
- what delivery method(s) would be most effective in communicating directly with legacy claimants?
- which organisation(s) are best placed to share this information, to have the greatest impact?
If you have any views, please put them here or email/DM me so I can feed them in
Some points and questions, just to get the ball rolling:
We could do with social workers having DWP information available to them, as they go into people’s homes and have their trust. They may be able to explain the basic situation to their clients and reduce some of the fear and trepidation the change-over is bound to cause.
Easy-read formats [NHS has people who will do a ‘health literacy’ read of documents - can they be involved, please?]
Basic Glossary - UC jargon translated into plain English
Basic rundown of what to expect and when
Which benefits are affected?
Will my DLA/PIP/Carer’s Allowance stop?
What about ESA/JSA I earned from NICs?
How much time do I have to get help with the UC claim?
A visual time-line showing when claims are needed, and the final deadline
Can I claim by phone? [PS, DWP, the answer is yes]
Can this process be postponed/cancelled if there are good reasons?
I have no access to IT
I have no computer skills
I do not know anyone who has got a computer
Where can I get help LOCALLY
Will DWP visit me at home if I am housebound?
Make it clear what the UC MM Helpline does (is it just to point people to help with online claims or does it do more than that?)
What information do I need to prepare to claim?
How do I know I have made my claim properly if I do it online?
What is a UC account?
What is a UC Journal?
How do I stay in touch with UC once I have claimed?
I am already on the ESA Support Group and don’t need to seek work or engage in work-related activity – will ESA treat me the same?
I am still waiting for a WCA – will the time I have already waited count in UC?
If I am still waiting for WCA, will I be made to look for work?
What is a Claimant Commitment; why is it needed?
What if I am too unwell to attend a Jobcentre interview about my claim?
What is ‘transitional protection’?
Why has this taken you ten years?
Broadest possible means of delivery needed – what plans for catering for those who cannot read/little or no English/who may hide or destroy printed materials owing to illness/disability?
Can we have a policy on vulnerabilty, please?
So no proper help for people on existing benefits - what is planned for the UC expansion? I note from the Case Manager guidance that there is no format of the Migration Notice ready for people with visual disabilities and the guidance is to defer the deadline date until one is available.
Why was this not thought about long ago???
Thanks Andrew - super helpful as always - have sent up response but can send up further suggestions at any point so others feel free to add suggestions / concerns
Thought the terminally ill and “blind” were not included in the Tax Credits migration precisely because of the communications issues?
Thought the terminally ill and “blind” were not included in the Tax Credits migration precisely because of the communications issues?
Hi Mike - yes, I think that’s right, but my beef is that it’s not rocket science and they have had years to prepare and yet still haven’t done anything about this.
Plus, as far as I can make out, unless they happen to have read the case manager guidance (which is only available because of a FoI request) nobody is going to know there are exemptions/deferrals. Claimants certainly won’t know., as DWP isn’t telling anyone.
Did I see somewhere that DWP was not proposing to provide details of how they have worked out the Transitional Element?
Has this changed?
Also to let you know that the questions I asked DWP weeks ago (about who/what this proposed ‘panel’ is etc) have not been answered, and there is still nothing regarding discussions of vulnerable claimants with Adult Care providers.
My understanding from recent training from Housing Systems was that there is no intention to provide claimants with any information which would enable them or us to be able to deduce whether a Transitional Element has been correctly calculated. My intention here would be to deluge them with SARs where appropriate and see if they still think that’s a sane policy.
Clue: It’s not.
Given the discussion on another thread in this section re. TC-only claimants and transitional element, I’m not sure I’m even going to understand the calculations even if we can wrench them from DWP’s very unwilling hands.
Once again, I despair.
6 years 9 months to retirement…..
Can we say ‘We told you so’, or would that be rude?