Agenda item

That the Committee supports the report and the ongoing work to manage the impacts that Welfare Reform has and will continue to have upon Flintshire’s most vulnerable households.

The Benefits Manager introduced Sian Humphreys and Dawn Barnes who led the Welfare Response team.  They gave a presentation on the work of their team to support households affected by the reforms, which covered the following:

·         Background

·         Current impacts of Welfare Reforms

·         Highest proportion of residents impacted by the ‘Bedroom Tax’

·         Universal Credit (UC) caseload

·         Households affected by the Benefit Cap

·         Welfare Reform Team Support

·         Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP)

·         April 2019 - What Changed

·         Proactive engagement

·         Case study

The analysis showed that Bedroom Tax remained the greatest impact on residents in Flintshire, affecting 677 households as at March 2019.  A total of 979 DHP applications had been awarded in 2018/19, with Bedroom Tax cited as the main reason.  The team’s holistic approach was to explore all options to support individuals including early intervention which helped to mitigate the impact on other services, for example preventing homelessness.  The decision by the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) meant that Universal Support was now being delivered by the Citizens Advice Bureau through the ‘Help to Claim’ process.

Councillor Shotton reiterated his concerns about the Help to Claim process which excluded much-needed personal budgeting support.  The Benefits Manager spoke about the importance of that support being continued by the team, albeit without funding from DWP.  Although outcomes from the Help to Claim process were not yet determined at this stage, there were concerns that the support was only provided until the date when customers received their first full UC payment.

In highlighting the importance of raising awareness of the work of the team, Councillor Dolphin suggested that Members could help or the team could engage directly with residents in local community events.  The Benefits Manager said that the team planned to attend two forthcoming local festivals and she welcomed requests for them to attend similar events.  On the Help to Claim model, access to data was an issue however the team would continue to monitor progress.  On the Bedroom Tax, she agreed to provide an update on the number of people waiting to downsize to smaller accommodation, including the 58 people reported in October 2017.  Although DHP was a short-term solution, that support continued if there was no other option available.

Councillor Brown suggested that a leaflet on initiatives such as the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS) could accompany Council Tax bills and Rent Statements, and distributed at summer playschemes.  The Benefits Manager said that the reduction in CTRS claims had been a concern and that eligible claimants were being tracked and monitored to help with re-submission of claims.  Promotion of the CTRS was being progressed through an internal working group who would welcome ideas from Members.

Councillor Brown also referred to the number of safeguarding tenancies receiving support from the team and suggested that the former Welfare Reform Board be re-established.  She asked if members of the team were available to attend the forthcoming Hawarden Carnival.

In response to Councillor Dolphin’s comments about the importance of publicising discount/exemption schemes, the Revenues Manager said that the teams were trained to identify eligible individuals and signpost to those schemes, for example the recent campaign to raise awareness of the Council Tax exemption scheme for individuals diagnosed as ‘severely mentally impaired’.  On the latter, links with the Health Board would help to promote a better understanding of that scheme with GPs.

In response to Councillor Brown’s suggestion, the Revenues Manager would consider inserting a briefing note in the quarterly rent statement despatch.  The Chief Officer said that details of such schemes could be promoted with the local press and through the ‘My Account’ initiative on which Members were urged to encourage residents to sign up.

Councillor Cox said that the Council’s achievements on regeneration should be collated within a booklet for wider distribution to highlight the progress made in Flintshire.

Councillor Johnson suggested using internal resources to raise awareness of the contact number of the Welfare Response team, e.g. Council vans and Council funded buses.  The Chief Officer said that Housing fleet vehicles had been used for a similar purpose and that this approach would be explored further.

During the meeting, a number of Members commended the work of the team to mitigate the negative effects of Welfare Reform including proactive engagement with individuals who may be at risk.  The Chairman thanked the officers for their presentation and responses to questions.

The recommendation was moved by Councillor Shotton and seconded by Councillor Johnson.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee supports the report and the ongoing work to manage the impacts that Welfare Reform has and will continue to have upon Flintshire’s most vulnerable households.