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Welfare Benefits: An Introduction for Front Line Staff
An Introduction To Welfare Benefits For Front Line Staff (2 Days)
Two-Day Workshop for anyone requiring an introduction or refresher covering local authority-administered benefits (HB and CTR) in the wider Welfare Reform context.
Next Workshop:
ONLY AVAILABLE FOR IN-HOUSE BOOKINGS.
As the roll-out of Universal Credit reaches completion, the HB caseload now consists of working age people in temporary and supported housing, along with pensioners in all types of private and socially rented housing. Local authorities also provide means-tested Council Tax Reduction / Support as well as a range of fringe and discretionary entitlements such as the Crisis and Resilience Fund. This Workshop aims to provide local authority assessment staff and customer service advisers with a thorough introduction to all the knowledge required to handle this caseload from Autumn 2026 onwards.
Day One will begin with a brief introduction to the UK Social Security System, showing where HB and CTR fit in. We cover the different benefits available to pensioners and working age people, including “mixed age couples” where only one partner has reached pension age. We also look at the main features of the CRF, providing discretionary help with housing costs and assisting those suffering or at risk of a “financial shock”. The final part of this introductory session will cover eligibility rules common to multiple benefits: which students can claim and immigration / residence rules.
Day One continues with a look at the key features of Universal Credit**, focussing on those most relevant to the interaction between HB/CTR and UC – including topics such as special rules for self-employed earners, people whose fluctuating earnings mean that they frequently “float off” UC, and what happens when HB and UC are paid at the same time in error, for example where duplicate housing costs have been paid or HB has continued in payment after the claimant moved on from supported or temporary accommodation. We also deal with some of the more popular – and controversial! – methods used to calculate CTR/CTS for people on UC.
The second half of Day One focusses on HB for those who continue to receive it, beginning with the definitions of temporary and supported accommodation that determine whether a working age claimant needs to claim HB or UC. We also look at the rules for all age groups about occupying the dwelling as a home: Getting HB for overlapping notice periods, temporary absence, and so on.
Day Two starts with “maximum HB” – the eligible rent for private and social sector tenants, minus non-dependant deductions where appropriate. This session will include the rules about how much HB can be paid for supported accommodation – including the differences between “managed” and “exempt” accommodation. There follows a brief summary of the HB means test calculation - the applicable amount, income and capital. The roll-out of Universal Credit means that it is now relatively unusual to find a working-age HB case where the Council is required to carry out a full means-test calculation - most working-age HB claimants in temporary and supported housing receive UC for their living costs, so this session will focus primarily on pensioners.
Day Two continues with the Council Tax Reduction Scheme, highlighting similarities and differences between CTR and HB. (For in-house courses, this part of the course will feature details of the local area working age CTR scheme.)
Finally, we will look at the administrative processes around HB and CTR - claims, liaison with DWP, changes of circumstance, backdating, payment (including direct payment of HB to landlords), overpayments and some basic advice for giving to people who may wish to make an appeal.
Presented by Peter Barker. A hugely experienced trainer, appeals presenter, and submission writer.
Note: The programme is indicative and is subject to change to reflect any recent rule reflect changes and the needs of specific groups or organisations. Further one-day Training Workshops are also available which can cover specific or more complex issues in more depth – e.g. HB Adjudication, Overpayments, Submitting Appeals, Subsidy Awareness, Supported Accommodation, Benefits Claims From Persons Arriving From Overseas, etc.
We also offer a 2-Day Workshop focusing specifically on HB & CTS / CTR - "An Introduction To HB & Council Tax Support / Reduction." This format allows for extensive exploration of just Housing Benefit issues. See our Web page for further details.
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It’s important to note that we can only briefly cover Universal Credit during this 2-Day Workshop. We also provide a stand-alone ‘Introduction to Universal Credit’ Workshop: Who qualifies, how it’s calculated (including the rules regarding earnings from employment or self-employment), work-seeking conditionality, and managing an online claim. This stand-alone day can be booked by any organisation for their own staff or can serve as an optional third day following the primary program described above. For full details, see our Web Page.
In-House Workshop Required - On-Site or Online
We are always pleased to arrange most of our Workshops, such as this one, specifically tailored for staff from an individual organisation. Whether you're interested in housing benefit training, universal credit training, or other welfare benefits topics, please email us with your requirements for details.
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