1. Welfare Reform Update June 2013

2. 2 Size Criteria 2,334 households are under occupying their properties –1,961 by one bedroom –373 by two or more bedrooms This has resulted in average reductions in Housing Benefit of £10.97 per week for one bedroom and £20.70 per week for two bedrooms or more Data as at May 2013

3. 3 Size Criteria by RSL LANDLORD NUMBER OF CLAIMANTS TOTAL REDUCTION IN HB TOTAL ANNUAL REDUCTION IN HB AKSA89£1,436.93£68,972.64 ARCON2£21.10£1,012.80 CONTOUR171£2,289.21£109,882.08 ENGLISH CHURCHES1£19.19£921.12 FCHO1334£17,070.87£819,401.76 GREAT PLACES223£2,956.28£141,901.44 GUINNESS INC112£1,577.39£75,714.72 REGENDA190£2,534.55£121,658.40 VILLAGES146£1,887.02£90,576.96 PLACES FOR PEOPLE65£736.73£35,363.04 COUNCIL OWNED1£17.98£863.04 OLDHAM2334 £30,547.25£1,466,268.00

4. 4 Size Criteria Reduced by % Total District PartnershipWard14%25% Chadderton Chadderton North46652 Chadderton Central321143 Chadderton South8918107 Total16735202 East Oldham St. James'16736203 St. Mary's16048208 Waterhead1388146 Total46592557 Failsworth and Hollinwood Failsworth East33740 Failsworth West672087 Hollinwood24349292 Total34376419 Royton Shaw and Crompton Royton North481462 Royton South69877 Shaw571168 Crompton321244 Total20645251 Saddleworth and Lees Saddleworth North15520 Saddleworth South8210 Saddleworth West and Lees13215 Total36945 West Oldham Alexandra25329282 Coldhurst20440244 Medlock Vale 16925194 Werneth 11822140 Total744116859 Oldham19613732334

5. 5 Benefit Cap The cap will be set at – £500 per week for couples and lone parents – £350 per week for single claimants. Will not apply to those receiving –Working Tax Credit –Disability Living Allowance –Personal Independence Payment –Attendance Allowance –Industrial Injuries Benefits –Employment and Support Allowance (support component ) –War Widow's or War Widower's Pension

6. 6 Benefit Cap in Oldham Information received from DWP shows 168 households affected All are households with children The highest cap in Housing Benefit is £166.15 per week The highest overall cap is £313.99 per week at the point the family transfers to Universal Credit The HB reductions applied from July 2013 will total £8,769.20 per week When all claimants have transferred to UC the total reduction in benefit will be £11,045.35 per week which equates to £574k per annum. Based on data scan received May 2013

7. 7 WARD NUMBER OF CLAIMANTS WEEKLY HB LOSS Chadderton North3 £125.75 Chadderton Central2 £180.58 Chadderton South6 £301.74 St. James'4 £215.97 St. Mary's26 £1,299.14 Waterhead8 £510.91 Failsworth East6 £121.26 Failsworth West6 £335.31 Hollinwood21 £1,187.75 Royton North0 £0.00 Royton South3 £92.50 Shaw3 £298.99 Crompton2 £171.99 Saddleworth North2 £91.38 Saddleworth South0 £0.00 Saddleworth West and Lees0 £0.00 Alexandra18 £1,033.75 Coldhurst26 £1,266.90 Medlock Vale 10 £693.83 Werneth 22 £841.45 Total 168£8,769.20

8. 8 LANDLORD NUMBER OF CLAIMANTS TOTAL WEEKLY REDUCTION IN HB TOTAL ANNUAL REDUCTION IN HB AKSA24 £1,338.98£64,271.04 CONTOUR11 £296.41£14,227.68 FCHO25 £1,329.61£63,821.28 GREAT PLACES23 £1,299.21£62,362.08 GUINNESS NC1 £26.65£1,279.20 REGENDA11 £550.57£26,427.36 PRIVATE LANDLORDS 73 £3,927.77£204,244.04 OLDHAM168 £8,769.20£436632.68

9. 9 By band RSL NUMBER TOTAL POTENTIAL CAP AVG Cap TOTAL POTENTIAL HB CAP AVG HB loss up to £10.0018£80.53£4.47£80.53£4.47 £10.01 - £20.009£126.99£14.11£126.99£14.11 £20.01 - £5021£718.02£34.19£718.02£34.19 £50.01 - £10027£1,935.41£71.68£1,883.52£69.76 £100.01 - £1508£1,049.32£131.17£785.60£98.20 £150.01 - £2008£1,403.29£175.41£828.51£103.56 £200.01 - £2503£643.33£214.44£328.65£109.55 £250.01 - £3001£278.99 £89.61 £300.01 - £3500£0.00 95£6,235.88£4,841.43

10. 10 By band private tenants NUMBER TOTAL POTENTIAL CAP AVG Cap TOTAL POTENTIAL HB CAP AVG HB loss up to £10.0012£61.76£5.15£61.76£5.15 £10.01 - £20.008£130.15£16.27£130.15£16.27 £20.01 - £5024£859.70£35.82£859.70£35.82 £50.01 - £10017£1,195.03£70.30£1,171.68£68.92 £100.01 - £1502£263.09£131.55£263.09£131.55 £150.01 - £2004£746.10£186.53£573.46£143.37 £200.01 - £2503£721.69£240.56£415.38£138.46 £250.01 - £3002£517.96£258.98£286.40£143.20 £300.01 - £3501£313.99 £166.15 73£4,809.47£3,927.77

11. 11 Implementing the benefit cap From 15 th July the LA will receive weekly schedules over a 5 week period Breakdown of income and cap calculation Data may not be fully cleansed LA will check data and report discrepancies to DWP LA will implement the benefit cap from the Monday following receipt of schedule DWP circular with template letters to be issued next week

12. 12 Supporting those affected Coordinated approach required with various organisations –Welfare Rights –Personal Budgeting Support Team –Benefits Service –Housing Provider –Help with Rent Team –Troubled Families –Get Oldham Working Activities to be coordinated by Welfare Reform Project Support Officer (Yvette Maguire) Last resort Discretionary Housing Payments

13. 13 Discretionary Housing Payment DHP’s are additional support available to tenants who are entitled to Housing Benefit if benefit does not meet the full amount of eligible rent and the tenant can demonstrate they are suffering financial hardship. £498k funding for 2013/14 As at the 10 th June we have received 930 DHP applications, total received in the year 2012/13 was 786 Committed spend at end of May £40k Reviewing awards expiring after initial 12 week award

14. 14 Local Welfare Provision In the first 10 weeks of the scheme (1 st April to 9 th June) 469 applications received for 1,973 items 1,562 items refused and 225 items have been awarded, 186 items are pending a decision Budget spent £24k Positive feedback on speed of processing and quality of goods Policy review at the end of June

15. 15 Examples of LWP awards made A homeless man with a dependant daughter secured a tenancy and was granted a sofa, 2 beds, cooker and a fridge. An alcoholic resident leaving residential rehabilitation secured a tenancy and was granted a bed, a fridge and installation of a cooker. A female resident and her dependant son secured a tenancy after fleeing domestic violence they were granted a cooker, a fridge and beds.

16. 16 Reasons for the high levels of refusal Out of area applications Waiting for DWP benefits, so should apply to DWP for a Short Term Benefit Advance Subject to benefit sanction or disallowance Request for cash payment for items Non-emergency situations e.g. goods need replacing, benefit lost or unable to budget on benefit Non-essential items requested e.g. treadmill, computer and games for a child

17. 17 Personal Independence Payment Personal Independence Payment (PIP) has been introduced to replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for eligible claimants aged 16 to 64. From 8 th April 2013 it was introduced to new claimants in Oldham with postcodes beginning ‘M’. From 10 th June 2013 it has been introduced nationally for all new claimants From October 2013 existing DLA claimants will begin to be invited to apply for PIP. The Council’s Welfare Rights Team can assist residents with the completion of new applications forms.

18. 18 Universal Credit Feedback from Tameside Pathfinder will commence in Oldham on the 29 th July 2013 The Council's Face to Face Pilot is likely to be extended to December 2013

19. 19 Universal Credit Pathfinder Activities Support residents to get online Provide residents with access to financial and budgeting support and debt advice

20. 20 On line acess

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22. 22 Personal Budgeting Support Team will be in operation from end of June Joint service delivered by Unity Partnership and CAB Test processes ahead of Pathfinder Referral arrangements will be in place

23. 23 Universal Credit Pilot Activities Raise awareness of Universal Credit Identify residents with complex needs and assess the level of support required to move successfully on to UC Support residents to access employment Establish and train Community Champions

24. 24 Number of Community Champions identified so far 23

25. 25 Any Questions