Financial Inclusion Forum

5 June 2015

10.00 – 12.00pm

Lecture Room 2, Basement

Central Library, Le Mans Crescent Bolton

PRESENT
Phil Rimmer / Head of Housing Benefits – Bolton Council
Sue Browne / Principal Officer- Welfare Rights– Bolton Council
Marie Newton / Service Development & Take-Up Manager – Bolton Council
Angela Kehoe / St Vincent’s Housing Association
Julie Wills / DWP / JCP
Eileen O’Rourke / Age UK
Karen Burns / Great Places Housing
Simon Kitchin / Public Health– Bolton Council
Alison Dyson / Money Skills
Amanda Stevens / Library & Museum Services
Linzi Barnett / Affinity Sutton Housing
Louise Wakerley / Bond Board
Bryony O’Connor / Public Health – Bolton Council
Lynda James / Revenues – Bolton Council
APOLOGIES
A Beeput / Bond Board
Jean Aspinall / Money Skills
David Batten / Hoot
Katie Bretherton / Health Improvement – Public Health
Elaine Canary / HB Recovery - Bolton Council
Diane Ball / Christians Against Poverty
Emma Huyton / IrwellValley Housing Association
Hayley Lord / Bolton at Home
Hazel Waddington / Bolton at Home
Carole Jackson / Money Skills
Rachael Naylor / Access Bolton– Bolton Council
Sam Wolstencroft / Christians Against Poverty
Gail Stocks / Families First /DWP
Vikki Starling / Contour Housing Association
Linda Cooper / Revenues – Bolton Council
Jenny Maher / BCH
Elaine Holt / Bolton Carers Support
Diane Firth / Bolton Community Transport

Agenda Items

1.Welcome & Apologies

  • Philwelcomed everyone and outlined the agenda.
  • Apologies recorded as above.

2. Welfare Reform Update

Phil gave a presentation (included with the minutes) covering the areas of welfare reform/benefits service impact.Key points;

Effect on HB caseload

  • Steady reduction in caseload, combined effect of PFA,UC and less generous CTS scheme, also possible some move from benefits into employment.
  • We envisage UC now start ramping up following the elections and this being a Conservative initiative.
  • Currently we have 2 members of staff per Assessment team dealing with these cases.
  • Comparing performance to 14/15 our number of days for both New claims and changes are increasing, challenges ahead.

DHP

  • £20,000 under spend at the end of 14/15, a considerable amount of work was undertaken but struggled to spend the entire budget.
  • For 15/16 we have a budget of £580,000, which is £100,000 less than 14/15.
  • Disability benefits are included in income assessment so any extra disability expenditure needs to be identified.
  • Query about whether tenants who are unwilling to move will be awarded DHP. Will consider if realistic possibility of getting smaller accommodation if theoretically willing to move. If providers can evidence engagement then will help. However smaller DHP allocation this year means likely to apply more stringently.
  • Some eviction proceedings have started to happen but not just due to under occupation, more an amalgamation of things.
  • Most tenants are now paying, may be due to the recent election as they now know that under occupation is here to stay.

Local Council Tax Support

  • Not much take up of CTS reduction scheme
  • Potential issue for 16/17 as currently gap funded by Council which may not be sustainable in view of future budget position.
  • Remodelling work / profiling optionscurrently being be undertaken and FIF group have role in consultation, Autumn 15. Possible top slice but would anticipate drop in recovery rate.

LWP

  • Reduced budget of £750K.
  • Underspend from 14/15 carried forward, therefore the total budget for 15/16 is £953,570.04
  • Fridge freezers will now be allowed to all types of customers requesting a fridge; this will help with their budgeting / buying in bulk.
  • Other GM LA’s not doing as much as Bolton, Bolton has committed funding 15/16 and 16/17.

Future

  • Cap – reduction from £26,000 to £23,000 – hard to determine the number that would be affected. To date we haven’t had vast numbers.
  • Under occupancy – here to stay now Conservatives are back in power.
  • Conditional HB – possible but not policy yet! May be able to profile for HA’s (under 21 with children).

3. Anti- Poverty Update

  • Credit Union working on expansion to a transactional bank.
  • High street shop offer (Millets shop) due to open 29.6.15. Will be supported by Age UK, Credit Union and Salvation Army. There is also office space for admin. The offer will include more than it is currently offering under the LWP furniture items, it will expand to include additional items e.g. laptops etc. This will enable it to compete with the likes of Bright House and Perfect Home. No publicity campaign planned – early days. The shop will be called “The Shop on the Square” and all items will be New.
  • Need to ensure this money is spent in the right areas.
  • Continued support for Moneyskills and WR.
  • Anti-Poverty steering group to recommence, Phil to issue an invite for interested parties to express an interest to join, much smaller group than FIF but needs a variety of areas to be involved.

4. Universal Credit

  • Rolled out to families in Bolton in March.
  • Not vast numbers due to gateway
  • UC processing times – approx. 2 months
  • Challenge around Housing Costs – DWP now have a specialist team in place.
  • Direct Payments – affect more private l/l’s
  • HB have contacts if service centre do not resolve but resource limited.

5.Partnership Updates

DWP – UPDATE will be provided separately.

HB Visiting team - no reduction in referral numbers, currently not meeting 14 day target (16 days). Number of PIP referrals increasing and customers requesting a review of their DLA are being issued a letter stating the facts so that they can make an informed decision.

WR –Appeals for PIP increasing. 1 - 2 week wait for appointments, receiving documents and hearing dates impact on who can be helped, sometimes this isn’t possible. Looking at Mandatory Reconsiders, starting to struggle – when DWP have backlogs it helps the team. Elliot’s waiting times are 6-8 weeks due to a different client group – customers changing from DLA to PIP.

Public Health (Simon) – Jo Cunningham left the LA 8 weeks ago, so Simon is the only trainer. Some Connect 5 training being rolled out in 15/16, will provide a flyer for distribution to the group (this has already been distributed).The following flyers will also be distributed to the group Mindfulness Stress reduction and Living life to the full (both already distributed.

Great Places – New strategic role created to cover poverty agenda across the region, working with 36 Las. Currently mapping the gaps. Bolton hasn’t got any gaps as buy in from the Council other GM LAs not doing the same. Working on a number of initiatives.

St Vincent’s – End of year results okay. UC not had an impact so far on rent arrear. APA’s getting 20% automatically, paid monthly in arrears.

Money Skills – APA’s impacting on budgeting skills. Customers failing security questions, difficult getting issues sorted. These impacts on LWP claims. Currently working at schools and conducting coffee mornings with parents. Representatives at both Bolton and Farnworth JCP’s. Debt team have a new member of staff. 3 day money mentor training and 1 day debt awareness being conducted.

Sutton Trust–Hard to advise tenants, budgeting with them. Run a Job club on Thursdays, provided due to funding but a lack of take up. E-learning for completing CV’s, digital champions – needs more promotion. Downsizing scheme – helping with costs of moving e.g. carpets / white goods. Attended the Connect 5 and Money skills courses.

Bond Board – hard to get L/L’s to take on new tenants on UC. Success with Direct Payments, 8 week timescales. Not as easy for existing tenants moving on to UC. Building relationships with UC department.

Age UK – moving in to the shop, been on a site visit, in a good location much better than the HUB. The team consists of Eileen plus 5 volunteers (new recruit recently retired from the tax office). Looking forward to thew move, more prominent location. Made some referrals to the Visiting team.

Public Health (Bryony)–Moved in to the 1st floor at the Town Hall, team currently undergoing a restructure.

Council Tax –work within 14 days, reviewing empty property charges. 14/15 was a good year for collection rates.

6. Date of Next Meeting

9.9.15, 10.00 – 12.00, Bolton Science & Technology Centre

7. AOB

None