Deven Ghelani, Policy in Practice, was joined by Kayley Hignell, Citizens Advice and Nicky Rees, Citizens Advice Peterborough, to discuss Universal Credit. View the slides from this webinar recording. As Universal Credit receives a refresh, courtesy of new Secretary of State Amber Rudd, we asked what the recent changes mean for people affected, and how the Citizens Advice Service nationwide is responding. We also looked at what some LCAs are doing to support people and were joined by Kayley Hignell, Head of Policy (Families, Welfare and Work), Citizens Advice, and Nicky Rees, Advice Operations Supervisor at Citizens Advice Peterborough. In this webinar we covered: - What the recent policy changes and new Secretary of State mean for Universal Credit - How Citizens Advice approach to Universal Credit is changing - How Citizens Advice Peterborough helps people to maximise income and budget well - Brief introduction to software used by some Local Citizens Advice advisors to give accurate and easy to digest advice "The Benefit and Budgeting Calculator is amazing, the frontline volunteers find it really useful. I especially like the calendar that shows claimants who get paid weekly how their monthly Universal Credit payments will be affected over the next 12 months." Nicky Rees, Citizens Advice Peterborough For more information on Policy in Practice please visit www.policyinpractice.co.uk, email hello@policyinpractice.co.uk or call 0330 088 9242

1. Policy in Practice
Webinar: How Citizens
Advice is helping Universal
Credit claimants
Monday 4 February 2018

2. Housekeeping
• Audio check
• Please ask questions
• Polls and a survey
• Aim to finish by 11:30

3. A team of
professionals
with extensive
knowledge of the
welfare system
who are
passionate about
making social
policy work
We help local
authorities use
their household
level data to
identify
vulnerable
households,
target support
and track their
interventions
We develop
engaging software
that helps people
to increase their
income, reduce
their costs and
helps them to
build their
financial
resilience

4. Today’s speakers
Deven Ghelani
Founder
Policy in Practice
Kayley Hignell
Head of Policy for Family,
Welfare and Work
Citizens Advice
Nicky Rees
Advice Operations Supervisor
Peterborough Citizens Advice
The Briefing Room: Universal Credit: What’s gone wrong and can it be
fixed? BBC R4, Thurs 10 Jan 2019

5. Agenda
• The impact of Universal Credit
• The impact of recent policy changes
• The outlook with a new Secretary of State
• Citizens Advice’s approach to Universal Credit:
• What we're currently doing
• What the format will be with the new funding
• What we're doing to advocate for change
• Case study: Citizens Advice Peterborough
• The challenges advisors are facing on the ground
• Software and advice that can help
• Questions & answers with our speakers

6. 666
Poll: What is your biggest concern about
Universal Credit rollout?

7. 777www.policyinpractice.co.uk
Over to Deven

8. Our analysis of Budget 2018
• £1.7 billion boost to benefit
support, benefiting 2.5 million
households (1.9m with children &
600k with limited capability for
work)
• £1.0 billion to help 1.1m people
migrating onto Universal Credit
(one-third of those left to migrate)
• These will benefit Employed
households gain
• Self-employed, disabled, ill or out
of work don't gain
• Download our report

9. Budget 2018: Universal Credit changes
• UC work allowances: increase by £1,000 per year (from April 2019)
• Two week run-on for those on existing DWP benefits (JSA, ESA, IS) in addition to
those receiving housing benefit (from July 2020)
• Self employed: Protection extended to all; assessed on actual income (not MIF) for
12 months (from July 2019)
• Deductions from UC: Max rate down from 40% to 30% (from Oct 2019)
• Delay in increasing the earnings limit that triggers surplus earnings (remains the
same until 2020)
• Period for recovery of advances extended from 12 to 16 months (from Oct 2021)
• Slower roll-out of Universal Credit (end now Dec 2023)
• Plus increase in minimum wage & changes in tax allowances (from April 2019)

10. Uneven impact across different households
Overall, working households will see some benefit from Budget 2018
• Employed households are the big winners
Employed households gain £18.41/week from the budget
They will on average be £9.13/week better off compared to under legacy benefits.
• Self-employed households will still lose slightly
They will be a further £2.42/week worse off as a result of the Budget
They will be £50.86/week worse off compared to legacy benefits
Disabled and ill households are not supported by the budget
• Income levels similar to their income pre-budget
• They will be £28.76/week worse off compared to legacy benefits
Households with children will be better off after the budget
• They will be £10.56/week better off as a result of the budget
• They will be reduced by £8.41/week compared to legacy benefits

11. Managed migration was scaled back for 2019, although DWP
will still have their hands full with around 1.6m people will
still move onto Universal Credit this year through natural
migration.
The two-child limit to benefits would not apply to children
born before April 2017.
Flexible payments, including direct payments to landlords,
split payments, and the payment of Universal Credit going to
the main carer by default.
The Secretary of State is also looking at options to reduce the
five-week wait for new claimants, and accelerate childcare
payments to providers.
The High Court found in favour of four working mothers who
challenged how the DWP took account of monthly earnings.
Secretary of State – New Direction?

12. 121212www.policyinpractice.co.uk
Over to Kayley

13. Universal Credit

14. Citizens Advice: who we are
A network of 280 local
independent charities
In 2588 locations across
England and Wales

15. Citizens Advice: our aims
Provide advice for the
problems people face
Improve the policies and
practices that affect
people’s lives

16. Citizens Advice: what we do
2.6 million
people helped in 2017/18
25 million
visits to our online
advice pages

17. Citizens Advice: our data

18. Citizens Advice: our data

19. ● Monitor the impact of UC and push behind the
scenes for change
● Publish policy research and campaign for change
when it will have impact
● Helping people with the problems through our
service including the new Universal Support: Help
to Claim service
Citizens Advice: our approach

20. Citizens Advice intelligence:
Universal Credit
Citizens Advice is a charity providing free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on their rights
and responsibilities. This advice is delivered in communities across England and Wales. Over the last three years
welfare benefit related issues have taken over debt as the largest area of advice, now accounting for one third of the
support delivered by local Citizens Advice.
With a local Citizens Advice in every community, we are able to draw insight into any difficulties claimants are having
with Universal Credit (UC) and highlight good practice at national, regional and local level.
The roll out of welfare reform closely maps the issues seen by Citizens Advice and new or changed benefits have a
direct impact on the demand for the Citizens Advice service.
Sep - Nov 2018

21. Citizens Advice: policy and campaigns

22. Help to Claim

23. What’s next?

24. Thank you

25. 252525
Poll: What is the most common type of
enquiry you deal with?

26. 262626www.policyinpractice.co.uk
Over to Nicky

27. How Peterborough is
working with JCP
February 2019

28. The Local Picture
• Peterborough is a Unitary
Authority
• Population est 196,640 mid
2015
• One Local Job Centre
In a recent two month period:
• 104 clients attended their
PBS/ADS appointment
• 5 returning clients

29. Our Work – Overview
We have been delivering Personal Budgeting
Support/Assisted Digital Support for nearly 3 years
Peterborough became a full Universal Credit area in
November 2017
We worked with JCP and RSLs to create a Vulnerable
Client Hub

30. Our Work – At JCP
 We have an Adviser permanently working out of our local
JCP
 JCP control the calendar for this Adviser
 Anyone claiming Universal Credit, that talks to their Work
Coach about any of our enquiry areas is booked in for
advice

31. Our Clients – at JCP

32. Our Clients – Common Enquiries
336
72
14
9 9
Benefits Debt Employment Housing Relationship
Most problems are cross
cutting and inter-related

33. Our Work – experience of Universal
Credit
The issues we are dealing with are getting more
complicated, so appointments take longer

34. Our Work – Case Study: Joe
Joe is a 35 year old male who has just recently claimed Universal Credit and is in his first assessment
period. He was referred to Citizens Advice for PBS and ADS because of outstanding debts and a need
for digital support.
During the PBS/ADS appointment Joe discloses that he:
●is currently unemployed and is looking for work
●lives on his own in a one bedroom Cross Keys flat
●has arrears for his rent, council tax, gas and electric, water bill and pay day loan
●has been send letters by a bailiff regarding his council tax
●admits to being an alcoholic but has not opened up to anyone else about this issue as he is scared
and won’t be taken seriously
●can access the internet at home on his phone but has no idea of how to use the Universal Credit
website

35. Our Work – Case Study: Outcomes
During the PBS/ADS interview, Joe was advised on the following:
●UC was explained to Joe and he was given digital support
●Joe was advised about the advance payments and APA’s
●he was given an estimate of what his first UC payment would be to assist him budget
●Joe was given advice on UC and budgeting tips
●Joe was referred for help with his addiction, and help with CV writing and interview skills
●Regarding Joe’s debts, initially he was made aware of grants & schemes available to him, eg the
Anglian Water assistance scheme
●given information on his rights regarding bailiff action and advised on his options when bailiffs
come to his door
●referred to the Money Advice team at Citizens Advice to assist him in managing debts and
negotiating with creditors

36. Our Work – Policy in Practice
Universal Credit calendar
Expert breakdowns
Ability to upload information to a journal
Built in warning info/tool tips which help advisors explore options
A willingness to listen and continue to develop the tool in
response to feedback

37. Thank you

38. 383838www.policyinpractice.co.uk
Questions and answers

39. Next steps
Download Autumn Budget 2018 white paper
Download Universal Credit Roadmap
Download Benefit and Budgeting Calculator flyer
Follow up email with this recording and slides, with links
Short 5 question survey now:
• We value your feedback
• Ask questions or clarifications
• Request a more in depth look at Benefit and Budgeting Calculator

40. www.policyinpractice.co.uk
Thank you
Deven Ghelani
deven@policyinpractice.co.uk
Kayley Hignell
Citizens Advice
Nicky Rees
Peterborough Citizens Advice
hello@policyinpractice.co.uk
office 0330 088 9242