Universal Credit Pilot

1. Universal Credit Pilot David Mitchell Head of Partnerships and Performance Rushcliffe Borough Council

2. Universal Credit will help claimants and their families to become more independent by simplifying the benefits system into a single streamlined payment. The new Universal Credit system aims to: • Make it more beneficial to work rather than be on benefits • Smooth the transitions into and out of work • Make it easier for people to claim • Make it cheaper and easier to administer • Cut back on fraud and error Universal Credit

3. It will replace: • Jobseeker’s Allowance • Income Support • Child Tax Credits • Working Tax Credits • Housing Benefit. (delivered by Local Councils) • The timetable for its phased introduction is 2013 – 2017 • It will be payable directly to the claimant on a monthly basis What will it replace and when?

4. Universal Credit Key Principle • DWP – ‘Digital by default’ with automated processes that maximise self-service, to reduce the scope for fraud, error and overpayments • LGA - believe that there are a lot of vulnerable clients who will not be in a position to engage in this way without support

5. Key DWPDelivery Challenges • Developing a consolidated benefit system • Development of IT support systems • Creating telephone support centres • Providing accessible services particularly for vulnerable customers

6. What are Councils good at? Proven track record • Are accessible - Providing local solution • Have a customer service focus • Already delivering on efficiencies • Local Knowledge • Good at developing partnerships • Can deliver cultural change

7. Traditional Model (based on Systems and Complexity) Preferred method of contact Job Seekers/ESA High Housing benefit Expert/Professional Face 2 Face Tax Credits - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - Customer Service Face 2 Face Complexity or Issue - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Child Benefit Email Telephone Self Service Low Low High Likely time requirement of customer

8. Future Model (Based on simplicity, caring and behavioural change) Preferred method of contact 80% 20% Universal Credit High Universal Credit Expert/Professional Face 2 Face Universal Credit Universal Credit - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - Customer Service Face 2 Face Universal Credit Simplicity - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Email Telephone Self Service Low Low High Vulnerability of Customer

9. Local Authority ledpilots • Opportunity for pilot authorities to explore ways to reduce the number of people who need mediated support to access digital services and the labour market • Short term pilot to prepare for Universal Credit implementation in October 2013 • IMPORTANT – This is not about delivering the new Universal Credit • Other pilots – direct payment and pathfinders

10. DWPKey Requirements • Pilots were requested to tackle some/all of the following: • Promoting the claimant’s ability to access online services and reducing their need for mediated support. • Helping the claimant to prepare for and access work opportunities to promote financial independence • Delivering efficiencies such as rationalising estate, improving access and reducing administrative costs. • Minimising the risk and costs of abuse of the benefits system via fraud or error. • Making things simpler and easier to use to support claimants to secure and retain suitable accommodation.

11. Background • English Council Pilots • Rushcliffe / Melton • West Lindsay • Lewisham • Birmingham • Bath and North East Somerset • North Dorset • Oxford • Pilots are to run for a period of 12 months to the end of September 2013

12. Rushcliffe/MeltonPartnership • Different Bids • Neighbouring Councils but different Counties • Sharing learning • Different areas of expertise

13. Rushcliffe Pilot

14. Rushcliffe Key Aims • Moving claimants to on-line methods • Integrating better with partners • Tackling vulnerability more effectively

15. The story so far (But still early days!)

16. Self Service • Terminals with access to all partner websites • Phone points in contact centre for direct contact if required • Face to face still available for those who cannot or will not despite some pressure self serve

17. Integrating with partners • Being Clear on who does what • Basic levels of advice from generic customer advisors • Providing advice where it is needed – colocation, surgeries, interviews

18. Vulnerability Definitionfor our Pilot • Any resident who cannot reasonably be expected to access services through self-service methods due to: • Illness or disability, including physical or mental incapacity, drug or alcohol addiction or a physical incapacity • Having no access to technology or broadband to get online themselves or insufficient skills to use these methods • Having no means of managing finances (e.g. no bank/building society account) that are precursory to being able to manage their benefit payments electronically • A life event that renders a resident temporarily incapable of being able to use online methods i.e. loss of job, bereavement, separation etc.

19. Tackling vulnerability Early case study •  Customer – Housing Benefit Claim • Suffering from depression and anxiety wanted to claim benefit and also wanted to report an incident of antisocial behaviour • Offered use of self serve terminal but became visibly distressed. • Advisor provided assistance to complete a claim on the self service terminal • Advisor explained that he could apply for an exchange of property using the Metropolitan Housing website • The customer also then used the Rushcliffe website to report the anti-social behaviour. • Customer remarked on the joined up services and use of self service although does not have internet access at home.

20. Tackling vulnerability Early case study • Customer – Housing Benefit Claim • A lady came to the centre to make a claim for housing benefit having just become unemployed. • She was a competent IT user but had not realised she could apply on line. • She used the self serve terminal to complete her application with no assistance. • The lady had planned to attend JCP in Nottingham to claim JSA but was delighted to find that she could submit a claim from the local centre and also accessed the DWP site to search for a job. • The customer has a computer at home and now she realises what she can do online will use this method in future.

21. Melton Borough Council • Universal Credit Pilot • Key Aims

22. To get 50% of our existing working age benefit case load accessing and using on-line services • Approximately 1500 - 1700 customers • Need to develop our knowledge of these customers • Communication preferences, behaviours, etc • Knowledge of their existing use of the internet • Understand the barriers to self service • Document the barriers and explore ways of overcoming them

23. To move a number of benefit dependent clients towards financial independence by getting them work ready • Targeted work based on deep customer insight • Work with a small group - furthest away from the job market • Utilise Employability and Skills Project Worker • Utilise Family Support Workers • Actively support on-line access to a range of related services (Amazon) • Single assessment of needs

24. To integrate partner services wherever possible to improve access for vulnerable people • Full Co-location at Parkside – Job Centre Plus • Appointment based services in children’s centres • Shaping future provision of assisted face to face support • Easier information sharing

25. To ensure that access for the customer is simple whilst minimising opportunities for fraud and error • Re-design processes • Lean focus – based upon meeting needs of customers • Design out opportunities for fraud and error • Work with small customer focus groups to ensure that online access is simple

26. To ensure that our staff and partner skills to support these customers are rated excellent • Implement a new Performance Management and Quality Assurance Software • 21.33 FTE’s in benefit related services to achieve Northgate Benefits accreditation • Documentation to be accredited and easy to read

27. Where we are now – early days • Project has been accepted on to the overall transformation programme of the Council and Project Manager appointed • Links to other related projects identified and liaison channels established to Universal Credit team • Key partners identified inc Jobcentre Plus, Leicestershire County Council, Northgate and Experian

28. Where we are now – early days • Initial phase 1 of detailed Customer Insight Work underway using Mosaic • Understand how many of our benefit caseload are unlikely, likely or highly unlikely to self serve and which areas of the borough they may live in • Early results identified that there is roughly a third of customers in each category • Highest group likely to self serve – Group H – are in the town itself • Highest group highly unlikely to self serve – Group O – • are also the most vulnerable

29. Self servicing Likelihood to self serve:Dark red: Very low: 22% Orange: Low: 11% Yellow: Average: 35% Pale green: High: 25% Dark green: Very high: 8% D, F, and H, are the most prominent Groups which are likeliest to self serve.

30. Digital channel shift

31. Group H location map

32. Group O

33. Group O location map

34. Where we are now – early days • Next steps identified are • To build on the outcome of the initial work – joint survey with Jobcentre Plus to gather more detailed insight in as to numbers of customers who can and do access on line services as well as to start identifying the potential barriers for those who can’t, don’t or won’t • Utilise our partners skills in helping determine effective future direction of capturing valuable and relevant insight • Develop skills within the Council to be able to carry out effective insight work

35. Where we are now – early days • Jobcentre Plus secondment 2 days per week • Processing team set up – to review and design new lean customer friendly on line processes • Contact/engagement team set up – to look at how to both raise awareness of changes internally and externally but also how to engage with our customers more effectively to help influence the design and delivery of services

36. Where we are now – early days • First on line service selected to be delivered in a phased approach – new Council Tax Support scheme (CTS) – first stage of the CTS process currently being developed • Identification of what services and support the Council and partners are currently providing to support the more vulnerable families in our borough, particularly around worklessness

37. Summary • So what are we starting to do to support our • customers make the transition to Universal Credit • as smoothly as possible?

38. Summary • Start to deliver our services efficiently and on line by default where ever possible • Support customers to be ready to access services on line either by self serve or supported self serve • By using any efficiencies gained enhance our services to the most vulnerable in our communities by delivering a more individual tailored package to suit that individuals needs to help support them into employment

39. Questions and Contact Details • Jackie Aimson • Melton Borough Council • Universal Credit Pilot Project Manager • Tel 01664 502474 • Email jaimson@melton.gov.uk David Mitchell Rushcliffe Borough Council Head of Partnerships and Performance Tel 0115 9148267 Email dmitchell@rushcliffe.gov.uk