An Introduction To Housing Benefit

An Introduction To HB, CTR & Other Means-Tested Benefits

For anyone involved in advising the public on benefits claims requiring an introduction or refresher covering local authority-administered benefits (HB and CTR). Suitable for customer service advisers, HB assessors in need or a refresher, or other staff interested in learning about what goes on “under the hood”. 

Tuesday & Wednesday,

4th & 5th February, 2025.  

2 x Full-Day Workshop: (9:40 - 4:30) 

Workshop Fee: £525.  (No VAT)

Book 3 places and receive a 4th place FREE.

This Workshop (or more in-depth 3 or 4-day version) can also be arranged ‘in-house’ for staff from an individual local authority, housing association or other organisation.  It is only possible to very briefly cover Universal Credit on this 2-Day Workshop - we have a Full-Day Workshop just on this topic alone. See our web site for full details. Available for In-House Bookings either On-Site or Online. Please contact us for further information.

AN INTRODUCTION TO HOUSING BENEFIT  & CTR  (2 DAY WORKSHOP)  

An Introduction To Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction & Other Means Tested Benefits

Day One will begin with a brief introduction to the UK Social Security system, showing where HB and CTR fit in. This introduction will include an overview of the fringe and discretionary entitlements administered by the Council, such as DHPs and the Household Support Fund. We will also look at the different benefits available to pensioners and working age people, including “mixed age couples” where only one partner has reached pension age. This part of the day includes a brief look at the “managed migration” programme that sees remaining working age “legacy benefit” claimants transferred to Universal Credit (the three-day option includes a longer session on UC on the third day)

Beginning in the second morning session of Day One, we look in more detail at HB and CTR, starting with the housing costs that are eligible to be met: rent, licence payments, service charges and unconventional homes such as boats and caravans. We also consider the rules on occupying a dwelling, including the circumstances in which someone can get benefit on two homes or receive benefit while absent from their normal home. 

Day One closes with “maximum HB” – the eligible rent for private and social sector tenants, minus non-dependant deductions where appropriate. 

Day Two starts with the HB means test calculation - the applicable amount, income and capital. This is followed by a look at the local Council Tax Reduction Scheme, highlighting similarities and differences between CTR and HB. (For in-house delivery, this part of the course will feature details of the Council’s own working age CTR scheme.) 

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. 

We also offer a one-day stand-alone Introduction to Universal Credit Workshop:- Who qualifies, how it’s calculated (including the rules about earnings from employment or self-employment), work seeking conditionality and managing an online claim. The day also includes a more in-depth look at the process of managed migration in which the remaining claimants of the “legacy” benefits that UC is replacing are transferred across to UC. This is a stand-alone day which can be booked by anyone working in benefits as in in-house Workshop just for their own organisation, but it also works as an optional third day following on from the programme described above. 

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. Claims From The Self-employed, Submitting Appeals, Commerciality & Contrivance, Overpayments, Claims From Persons Arriving From Overseas, etc.

Presented by Peter Barker. A hugely experienced trainer, appeals presenter, and submission writer. 

We are always pleased to arrange most of our Workshops, such as this one, for staff from an individual organisation to be held at their own training venue or by Zoom/TEAMS. Please email us with your requirements for details.

Also available is a more comprehensive 3-Day Workshop on this topic (only available for in-house bookings).