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Housing Benefit reform

Housing Benefit reform. Paul Howarth Housing Benefit Strategy Division IRRV Severnside 27 th November 2009. Introduction. Economic downturn Pace of change Work incentives Supporting housing objectives Fairness Affordability Making the system work better The future.

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Housing Benefit reform

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  1. Housing Benefit reform Paul Howarth Housing Benefit Strategy Division IRRV Severnside 27th November 2009

  2. Introduction • Economic downturn • Pace of change • Work incentives • Supporting housing objectives • Fairness • Affordability • Making the system work better • The future

  3. Economic downturn • Workloads increased dramatically • £75m more funding for 2009/10 • Dependency on forecasts for global sums, SHBE for allocations • Looking to agree 2010 allocations in November

  4. Pace of change • Change is constant • Child Benefit disregard • Capital limits for pensioners • Permitted rules and overpayments • Temporary accommodation • LHA rules

  5. Work incentives • Raising awareness of in-work HB • In and out of work project • Social housing and worklessness • Transition into work • Fixed period awards • What will help most to get people into work?

  6. Fairness • Need for some sort of restriction in the private rented sector • What is it reasonable for HB to pay for? • Fair to others with a low income • Working households

  7. Affordability • Overall costs rising • Not just recession – rent increases • Mounting pressure in years ahead • Objectives around poverty cost money

  8. Making the system work better • Government Connect • Access to data policy - security • HB Information Flows projects • More process improvements • Risk-based verification • SHBE and data flows • More data-sharing

  9. The future • Major efficiency challenge • Local v central • Time to make the case • Integration as a long-term aim? • Internet and telephone claiming • What is the optimum solution

  10. Conclusion HB – still centre-stage HB Review consultation LHA two-year review Key questions to consider More change to come Build on success

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