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Social Fund Reform

Social Fund Reform. Social Fund Successor Arrangements – Practitioner Event Date 3 October 2012 Presenter Mike Keegan DWP. Purpose of this session. provide a Social Fund Reform update outline DWP support from 2013 identify key risks and challenges provide an update on data sharing

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Social Fund Reform

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  1. Social Fund Reform Social Fund Successor Arrangements – Practitioner EventDate 3 October 2012 Presenter Mike Keegan DWP

  2. Purpose of this session • provide a Social Fund Reform update • outline DWP support from 2013 • identify key risks and challenges • provide an update on data sharing • provide update on communications plans

  3. Social Fund Reform • Key elements: • Crisis Loans and Community Care Grants to be abolished • Local Welfare Provision to be introduced (Devolved Administrations (DAs) in Scotland and Wales – upper tier local authorities in England) • Budgeting Advances and Short Term Advances of benefit to start (DWP) • Regulated Social Fund to continue (DWP)

  4. Timeline April 2013 Local Welfare Provision – begins DWP start to deliver Short Term Advance of Benefit and Budgeting Advances Social Fund Reform Project Local Welfare Provision workshops White Paper Support is tailored to local circumstances and targeted only at genuine need Local Authority Fieldwork Report and DA discussions Scottish Welfare Reform Conference Call for evidence We do not expect local authorities to recreate CCGs and CLs locally Welfare Reform Act Royal Assent given 8 March 2012 Discretionary Social Fund CCGs and CLs end 31 March 2013 UK Government response Develop and deliver services tailored to meet the needs of their most vulnerable members Social Justice Strategy Published 13 March 2012 Dec 2010 Feb 2011 June 2011 Dec 2011 Mar 2012 July 2012 Autumn 2012 Mar 2013

  5. Summary of Social Fund Reform changes

  6. England and Wales • workshops being held with English upper tier local authorities September – November • working in partnership with local authorities in developing progress arrangements for the introduction of Local Welfare Provision • Engagement established at a local level in England • Wales – consortia to design and deliver Local Welfare Provision for Wales

  7. DWP support from 2013 Short Term Advance of benefit is: • an advance of benefit • paid in circumstances where benefit entitlement has been established but not yet paid • not for crisis • linked to a benefit claim or change of circumstances and when the first payment will be received

  8. DWP support from 2013 Conditions for getting a Short Term Advance of benefit: • entitlement to benefit must be satisfied • affordability of recovery must be confirmed • financial need must be demonstrated • the amount advanced will be a proportion of benefit and will depend on when the first payment is due to be paid

  9. DWP support from 2013 Recovery arrangements: • amount of advance will be recovered from benefit • recovery will start from the second payment of benefit • repayment of advance over 3 months

  10. DWP support from 2013 under Universal Credit • Universal Credit will provide extended eligibility for recipients to access DWP support including: • Funeral Payments • Sure Start Maternity Grants • Cold Weather Payments • Budgeting Advances (replacing Budgeting Loans) • Short Term Advances of benefits where appropriate

  11. Key risks and challenges • timescales for delivery of Local Welfare Provision – from April 2013 • roles and responsibilities for DWP/local authorities/DAs • smooth transition for applicants to the new arrangements • transfer of S30 powers from Westminster to Scotland • data share

  12. Data sharing – background information • local authority staff in Scotland currently have access to DWP Customer Information System (CIS) data for the administration of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (HB/CTB) • a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been set up between DWP and local authorities, which sets out the framework and operating policy through which information can be accessed • the Welfare Reform Act 2012 provides additional powers for the sharing of relevant information with local authorities and DAs for prescribed purposes relating to welfare services (note, this currently does not include sharing data for Local Welfare Provision)

  13. Data sharing • Information Currently Available • a wealth of information can be found on the www.dwp.gov.uk/local-authority-staff/social-fund-reform/ website to support you with your Local Welfare Provision planning, this includes: • Social Fund Reform localisation data • DWP research reports • Crisis Loan/Community Care Grant factsheets • Social Fund Annual Reports • Ongoing Customer information • work has been undertaken with strategy colleagues, local authorities and DAs to define a common set of data that DWP may share for the purposes of Local Welfare Provision, this includes: • identity/contact details • address/relationship history • benefit award details

  14. Data Sharing – Proposed CIS data • The Project are currently trying to establish if LAs can be given access to LWP for the purposes of LWP. This will provide them with the following data; • Identity Details • Contact Details • Special indicator information e.g. PV customers • Address/Relationship History • Benefit Award Details • Assessed Income Figures • UC Benefit details – data not currently available • Budget loans/Advances/STAs – data not currently available • Customers Leaving Care facilities – data not currently available

  15. Data sharing – ongoing work • The project is working with legal, security and IT colleagues to facilitate the sharing of • customer data for the purposes of Local Welfare Provision with DAs/local authorities: • we are taking steps to establish a legal gateway that will allow the sharing of data • the CIS is currently used to share data for HB/CTB purposes we are aiming to maximise the use of the CIS • we are working with IT colleagues to identify the options and costs for the delivery of changes to CIS to support the ongoing data sharing • we will liaise with you to understand your current and future CIS user access requirements • we are liaising with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to seek agreement for relevant HMRC data held on CIS to be shared

  16. Data sharing – potential issues • the Legal Gateway allowing DWP to share data with DAs will not be in place by April 2013 • the Legal Gateway will not cover all DAs requirements • a revised MoU for the sharing of data between DWP and local authorities will need to be in place by April 2013 • IT changes that are identified will not be in place by April 2013, therefore contingency plans will need to be in place

  17. Communications Information available on our website www.dwp.gov.uk/local-authority-staff/social-fund-reform/ Announcement of Social Fund Reform • Social Fund Reform Project communications: • Communications Strategy and Plan developed • Issues Handling Strategy established • inform claimants of changes – including script changes, leaflet amendments, internet entries, timing of informing claimants of the changes • messages to external advice agencies – via products such as Touchbase e-zine and local liaison between DWP Partnership Teams and advice agencies Workshops held with DAs and local authorities Settlement letters issued 6 August Dec 2010 Aug 2012 March- Apr 2012 June 2012 to March 2013

  18. Contact us • SOCIAL.FUND@DWP.GSI.GOV.UK

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