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Social Fund Reform

Social Fund Reform. Practitioner Event Date 23 January 2013 Presenter Mike Keegan – Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Progress to date. Section 30 order through UK and Scottish Parliaments Listened and acted on representations from Scottish Government

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Social Fund Reform

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  1. Social Fund Reform Practitioner Event Date 23 January 2013 Presenter Mike Keegan – Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

  2. Progress to date Section 30 order through UK and Scottish Parliaments Listened and acted on representations from Scottish Government Notified and agreed programme funding Developing guidance and support products for DWP staff Progressed data share issues Shared DWP Detailed Customer Communications Plan Updated the DWP internet site for local authority staff

  3. Key dates and activities January 2013 Planning steps, learning and development, guidance and supporting products for DWP staff developed and ready to handover to DWP operations week commencing 28 January 2013 Detailed Customer Communications Plan agreed and signed off and published on the internet February 2013 Initial changes to Interactive Voice Response messages on DWP telephone lines from 20 February 2013 DWP telephony service scripts updated and amended Communications to external audiences via DWP Partnership Managers and relevant publications

  4. Key dates and activities continued… From March 2013 Continue with messages (which started in February 2013) DWP internet sites to be updated DWP Out of Hours Service ends 31 March 2013 Crisis Loans and Community Care Grants end 31 March 2013 From April 2013 Withdrawal of Crisis Loan and Community Care Grant claim forms DWP Social Fund telephone lines advising Crisis Loans and Community Care Grants now abolished (to remain in place for 3 months) Continue closer working with COSLA, local authorities, Scottish Government to support implementation and delivery of new services

  5. High level Short Term Benefit Advance customer journey Our priorities are to support people into work and put benefit in payment to the customer on time DWP Short Term Benefit Advance (STBA) customer journey is about providing help to the customer wherever they access support from DWP by: Listening to and understanding the customer’s emergency/crisis Exploring if there is entitlement to any DWP provision to support them so STBA/Budgeting Loan/Budgeting Advance (Universal Credit) Considering if this meets their need and if not then checking the District Provision Tool for other provision including Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) and directing the customer appropriately

  6. Data sharing for Scottish Welfare Fund We have: Established a legal gateway from April 2013 that will allow the sharing of data for SWF purposes (subject to UK Parliamentary approval) Provided background information on Crisis Loans and Community Care Grants via the internet Provided more detailed MI on previous Social Fund claims via the internet Provided funding frequently asked questions Obtained approval for current housing benefits staff who have access to CIS to be able to access details for SWF purposes Obtained permission from HMRC that any of their data held on CIS can also be shared Working to update relevant Memorandum of Understanding Secured additional staff access to CIS

  7. Next steps Continue working together to: Support the delivery of the SWF Provide customers with accurate advice on services available To ensure customers are referred to the correct place for the support they need in the first instance To minimise contact/complaints for both local authorities and DWP Progress data share issues Further information is available on the DWP local authority internet site http://www.dwp.gov.uk/local-authority-staff/social-fund-reform/ For queries the Social Fund Reform Project can be contacted at: Social.fund@dwp.gis.gov.uk

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