The document summarizes a conference presentation about the impact of Universal Credit on tenants and housing associations. The presentation discusses how Universal Credit has led to increased rent arrears for many tenants. It provides data on the percentage of tenants experiencing arrears and debt after claiming Universal Credit. The presentation also discusses challenges tenants face in managing their Universal Credit claims and how housing associations are addressing these challenges. It encourages collaboration between housing associations and the Department for Work and Pensions to better support tenants.

1. Policy in Practice
Universal Credit:
Protect rental income and
support tenants
Digital Housing Conference
Manchester
Wednesday 31 October 2018

2. Agenda
• Introducing Policy in Practice
• The impact of Universal Credit
• Rollout update
• The impact on rent arrears
• Budget policy changes
• What do you know about your tenants?
• Mapping the aggregate impact of UC on tenants
• The impact on individual families and how to engage them
• How housing associations are meeting these challenges
• The experience at YHN
• The experience with other housing associations
• Q&A with the audience

3. We make the welfare system
simple to understand, so that
people can make the decisions
that are right for them

5. Recent coverage of our analysis
Benefit Cap: Policy in Practice gave
evidence to the Work and Pensions
Select Committee, October 2018

6. 666
A quick poll …
Who is on Universal Credit full service?

7. The power of pooled data
25% - 33% of the total population
10,000 people use our software each day

8. Your Housing Benefit /
Council Tax data
+ Arrears
+ Support
Benefit and Budgeting
Analytics Engine
Who is impacted, How
much? What actions can
they take? Are they better
off? What are the Council-
wide effects?
Analytical engine + household datasets

9. Link the data directly into our
Benefit and Budgeting support
in single system.
Efficiencies avoiding multiple or
repeat data capture.
Show the impact of moving into
work alongside personalised
and preventative advice on
actions to increase income, and
reduce costs.
Engage residents

10. 101010
The Impact of Universal Credit

11. 111111

12. The impact of welfare reforms

13. Universal Credit: Recent changes
Recent changes to Universal Credit should improve the situation
• Higher work allowances, 63% taper & Living Wage
• Ending 7-day wait and a two week HB & ESA / IS / JSA run-on
• Sixteen month repayment of payment in advance
• Universal Credit on the frontline
• Direct payment of housing benefit for those in the PRS, landlord portal for those in
the social rented sector.
• Protection for those losing out unfairly through transitional protection, including
those losing the severe disability premium, with changing earnings or childcare
costs, and protection for savers for 12 months.
• Backed by our ‘Leading Lights’ policy work ahead of the budget

14. .
Universal Credit: The national picture
 The average loss is
£16.86 / week.
 2.1m households
gain 2.8m lose
 Winners and losers
are complicated…

15. A fundamental aspect of Local Housing
Allowance and Universal Credit is that
payments go to the claimant not the
landlord.
DWP Full Service Survey
• Just over a third of UC recipients
were experiencing housing payment
arrears and for 44%, the situation
got worse between the surveys.
• One in three claimants in arrears in
both waves said the situation had
improved.
• Two thirds (65%) said they fell into
debt after they made their claim for
UC
Universal Credit and rent arrears

16. Groups of claimants more likely to
be in arrears were:
• Those with a household income
of less than £10,000.
• Those with a long-term health
condition.
• Those renting from social
landlords (council, local
authority or housing
association).
• Those who have received an
advance payment from
Jobcentre Plus in the last three
months
• Those with an APA in place.
Universal Credit and rent arrears
Smith report:
Arrears do stabilise with time at around 6%
Not until week 13 do arrears fully stabilise and tenants
begin to pay back arrears

17. 171717
What percentage of tenants struggle?

18. 181818
View online demos here
1. LIFT Dashboard: link
2. Benefit and Budgeting Calculator: link
View information videos here
1. Low income Londoners: video
2. Financial resilience: video

19. 191919www.policyinpractice.co.uk
Over to Donna
• Universal Credit at YHN
• UC at other housing associations
• What does business as usual look like?

20. Housing and managing UC
Universal Credit at YHN
• Early approach and moving to business as usual
• Financial modelling and challenges of silo working
• Workforce priority ‘rent is everybody’s business’
Partnership and collaboration with DWP
Learning from others – Durham CC
Northern Voices event
• Shared learning and good practice
• Feedback to DWP and next steps

21. Other key issues for your tenants
Barriers faced by supported housing tenants in making and managing their Universal
Credit claim are common to other tenants
Barriers relate to
• Digital access
• Identification
• Budgeting
• Overpayments
• Access to a bank account
Better communication with DWP to support claim management, access to a work coach
and ability to establish alternative payment arrangements would help all landlords.

22. Learn more
• Policy in Practice Select Committee analysis on the Benefit Cap
• House of Commons: Universal Credit in your area
• DWP: Stat-Xplore
• Policy in Practice: Pan-London analysis
• Policy in Practice: LIFT Dashboard for Universal Credit impacts
• Policy in Practice: Benefit and Budgeting Calculator
• Influence national policy: email hello@policyinpracticre.co.uk to join our Leading
Lights
• Join our Universal Credit webinar on Wed 14 Nov: register here

23. 232323www.policyinpractice.co.uk
Questions from the audience

24. www.policyinpractice.co.uk
Thank you
Deven Ghelani
deven@policyinpractice.co.uk
Donna Gallagher
donna@policyinpractice.co.uk
hello@policyinpractice.co.uk
office 0330 088 9242