Despite a significant number of reported problems from other parts of the country during the pilot stages the government is determined to proceed with its roll-out of Universal Credit in County Durham over the next six months, starting in East Durham next week.
We are aware that there is a high probability of problems in this area as the new system takes hold, especially when it is considered there will be a minimum 42 day lead in time for receipt of benefits (meaning that claimants will be left with no benefits for a minimum period of six weeks).
Clearly effective communication is going to be vital in helping people to understand the background to this new benefit regime and the potential issues at play during the early stages and beyond. Assistance will also be essential to help those who might find themselves in difficulty, through no fault of their own, simply because of the delay in benefit payments being made.
For these reasons we have published below an advice note from the county council which is intended to clarify a number of issues relating to the roll-out of Universal Credit. Key contact numbers are included to help people find the correct advice direct:
The rollout of
the Universal Credit full service begins on 18 October 2017 for all new
claimants of working age in the Peterlee and Seaham Jobcentre areas.
We have been
and continue to work with the Department for Work and Pensions, community and
voluntary groups and landlords and housing providers to ensure that residents
are aware of the changes and how this will impact on them.
Universal
Credit can only be claimed online, there are no paper forms. There is a mobile
enabled version of the claim process, which means customers can use their smart
phones to progress their claim online. The claim can be saved and returned to
at a later date if the customer needs to.
To make a
claim, the customer must verify their identity with the DWP, this can be done
online or via an appointment at their Job Centre, and they must have a bank
account in place.
Once they have
made a claim, the claimant is responsible for managing their claim online and
as part of the claim they are required to sign up to a “claimant commitment”.
Universal
Credit is paid four weekly in arrears and where applicable will include housing
costs. Due to the initial waiting period however, and depending upon when the
initial claim is made, the first payment can take up to 6 weeks to come through
if the claimant doesn’t request an advance payment. To receive an advance
payment claimants must request this at the point they make their claim. This
check box is included in the online claim form. Advance payments are then
recovered from future UC entitlements over a 10 month period.
Working with
our partners we will provide support as required to local residents in your
area, including;
· Information
on our website www.durham.gov.uk/universalcredit. This includes
information on where
customers, yourselves and staff can find out where there are local computer
facilities and also where there is help and support to progress and maintain a
claim. You will find this under the “Get help to apply” section. We’ve
gathered this information from a number of sources both inside and external to
the Council, learning from the experiences elsewhere when the UC Full Service
has been implemented.
· Our
Customer Access Point/Library in Seaham offers access to self-service computers
and staff are on hand to assist customers. In Peterlee we have Digital Support
Assistants who will be in the Library Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and
working from the Citizens Advice Bureau on a Wednesday, to provide access to
self-service computers and support from their facility in the town centre. We
will also continue to operate our surgery for customers from the East Durham
Homes outlet in Peterlee Town Centre on a Wednesday. We will monitor demand for
this service and consider local options whilst changes are made to the Library
provision.
· Support
for customers through our Customer Services Team on 03000 262000
· Personal
Budgeting Support to assist customers with the changes to the frequency of
payments and the need to ensure that they pay their rent to their landlord. The
DWP will make referrals to us to provide this support where the claimant has
particular difficulties in this regard.
· Ensuring
we support and encourage claims for council tax discount through the Council
Tax Reduction Scheme www.durham.gov.uk/counciltaxreduction. We will carefully monitor and
actively pursue cases where the person / household is in receipt of UC with
housing costs to ensure they also make a claim through the our Council Tax Reduction
Scheme
· We
have amended our Discretionary Housing Payments Policy, which provides support
to help people meet the shortfall in their housing costs, to include an ‘eight
week extension’ of the DHP award where the claimant has moved from Housing
Benefit to Universal Credit http://www.durham.gov.uk/article/3566/Discretionary-Housing-Payment-DHP
· Availability
of support through the Councils Welfare assistance Scheme http://www.durham.gov.uk/welfareassistance
to support people with short term awards to help with daily living expenses
such as food, heating and travel costs, plus the availability of resettlement
grants.
· Working
closely with both local Landlords and the Advice Partnership to ensure that
customers are referred to the right support and advice
We are aware
that in December that the Peterlee Library will close and the facility will
transfer to Peterlee Leisure Centre. Plans are in place to ensure that the
access to self-service computers and staff to help assist customers will also
be in place in the new facilities in Peterlee Leisure Centre.
Universal
Credit is a Department for Works and Pensions benefit and there are some
complexities in terms of advising when it is the best time for an individual to
make their claim. If approached in terms of assisting someone to make a claim it
would be advisable for members to encourage them to speak to their local Job
Centre or to our Customer Services Team in the first instance. Set out below
are some useful contact numbers for members’ information.
Key
Contacts:
Universal
Credit Helpline: 0345 600 0723 premium rate number and will incur charges of 55p/minute. Please avoid wherever possible.
The Council’s
Customer Services Team: 03000 262000
The Council’s
Welfare Rights Team: 03000 268 968
Citizens Advice
County Durham: 0300 323 2000
If you have any particular problems associated with the roll-out of Universal Credit please do not hesitate to contact us directly and we will do whatever we can to find the right level of advice.