Issue - items at meetings - UNIVERSAL CREDIT

Issue - meetings

UNIVERSAL CREDIT

Meeting: 10/10/2017 - Health and Wellbeing Board (Item 11)

11 UNIVERSAL CREDIT pdf icon PDF 240 KB

To receive a presentation by Sally McTernan (Assistant Director Community Housing, Health, Housing & Adult Social Care, LBE) on Universal Credit which rolls out across some Enfield postcodes from November.

Minutes:

RECEIVED a presentation from Sally McTernan (Assistant Director Community Housing, Health, Housing & Adult Social Care).

 

NOTED

 

?  Sally McTernan ran the customer services and assessment function at LB Enfield, including financial assessment.

?  Central government was rolling out the Universal Credit scheme as part of its welfare reform programme. Universal Credit would replace six current benefits.

?  In Enfield a live service began in July 2015, but the full digital rollout would commence from November 2017 for working age families.

?  Claims were administered online, by the applicant via the Department of Work and Pensions portal, and one payment was paid monthly direct to the claimant.

?  There was a 6 week administration period and a 7 day waiting period. Those in financial difficulty may apply for advance payment, which would be a loan.

?  It was difficult for the local authority to challenge an award. This was not a Council administered benefit and rollout was not within Council control.

 

IN RESPONSE comments and questions were received, including:

1.    It was confirmed that situations which could be potentially detrimental to the Council would be monitored, and officers would work with housing associations, and would look out for people falling into rent arrears and put in place targeted intervention. Information had also been gathered from LB Croydon to learn lessons from Universal Credit rollout there.

2.    Councillor Cazimoglu confirmed that members were very concerned about the implications for the health and wellbeing of people living below the poverty line.

3.    Members felt that it was important for Health and Wellbeing Board to register its concern about impact on the most vulnerable and that their concerns be recorded in the meeting minutes.

4.    Tessa Lindfield suggested that service providers and commissioners should gather data at contact meetings and keep an eye on the impact as part of the role of tackling health inequalities, while the priority should be to ensure that people did not lose their housing and to focus on supporting those most badly affected.

5.    Sally McTernan was asked to bring an update to the next meeting.

ACTION:  Sally McTernan

 

AGREED that the Health and Wellbeing Board noted the presentation and recorded its concern.