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Housing Benefit Advocacy

How to question & challenge council decisions!

This course has been designed specifically for Housing Association staff and those who work in the benefits advice sector. HB accounts for £13 Billion of RSL's income. Council's administration of the scheme (good/bad practice) can heavily influence rent arrears. Over-zealous Overpayment recoveries can create a large hole in revenue.

The tutor will illustrate, through use of case examples, and group exercises, a number of the areas of HB administration which frequently are misunderstood and misapplied by council staff administering the scheme, creating in turn unnecessary delays, exchanges of letters/telephone calls, and ultimately rent arrears.

Advocating on behalf of tenants can sometimes bring HA staff into direct conflict with those charged with administering this complex and ever changing HB scheme. The tutor will explain how staff can best set about questioning and, if need be, challenging decisions through telephone/correspondence, and if this fails make representation to First-tier tribunals and public sector Ombudsman.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course you will better understand:

Primary HB Legislation and associated Guidance
How best to make a successful claim, with supporting evidence, for HB
Apart from the tenant/spouse - who can legitimately claim HB?
Importance of 'Occupying' the family home; delayed occupation; and the overlapping 'two homes' rule!
What constitutes a valid claim; which evidence is required?
When should benefit normally start; the many exceptions to the general rule of awarding on the Monday following the first claim; 'backdating' and 'good cause'.
Duty of claimant/landlord to notify changes in circumstances. Reviewing a claim, due to change in circumstances, ignorance/mistake of fact/ error of law etc. How far can the increased/reduced award go back?
Non Dependents - How to minimise/eradicate deductions.
Temporary absence from the home (hospital, residential care/nursing home, prison). Responsibilities of claimant/landlord.
'Old chestnut' of Overpayments and Recovery. Who from, at what rate, and by which method? Has the April 2006 changes helped your Association?
How best to question/challenge a decision and submit an appeal to First-tier tribunal or a complaint to Ombudsman.

Who should attend

Housing Association staff and those involved with advice agencies who need some level of knowledge of housing benefit to ensure they can help tenants maximise their entitlement to HB and in so doing reduce the potential for rent arrears accruing.

How to Book

This course is available to Housing Associations.

To book this training, please contact us.