Agenda item

To consider a report of the Chief Officer, Welfare and Benefits providing an update on the impact of the welfare reforms at city-wide and ward-level; information on arrangements which have been put in place to support tenants and outlining some of the preparations being made for the introduction of Universal Credit

(report attached)

  Shaun Kelly Financial Manager Welfare Benefits presented a report of the Chief Officer (Welfare Benefits) providing an update on the impact of the welfare reforms at both a city-wide and ward level basis, including information on arrangements which had been established to support tenants.  Details about the campaign against high cost lenders was also included in the report.  In responding to queries and comments from Members Mr Kelly was assisted by Jason Kirk from Aire Valley Homes Leeds

Members also considered a supplementary report providing details in respect of East North East Homes

Members discussed the report in detail

In summary, the following issues were raised:

• the Local Welfare Support Scheme how people were signposted to this scheme; the underspend on the scheme and the reasons for this.  Members were informed that the Job Centre would direct people to the Local Welfare Support Scheme.  Regarding the underspend on this, one reason was that two different systems were being compared as the previous system was cash-based, whereas the Council’s scheme was not.  Work was also ongoing to see if the reduced demand for this service was due to people not being aware of its existence
• Discretionary Housing Payments and the need to ensure that advice centres for residents were spread out in the villages, in view of the level of interest seen at Garforth Library.  Members were informed that ‘pop-up’ centres were being considered for villages
• that more information was required on the work being carried out in the East Outer Wards and the need for some of the funding streams to be clarified
• the Social Fund and the need for information about this to be provided to Ward Members to enable them to inform constituents.  It was stated that an advice guide had been published and that a meeting would be arranged with Councillors about signposting constituents to the appropriate organisation
• under-occupancy; that this would plateau and what measures would then to taken when arrears could not be cleared.  Jason Kirk advised that new protocols had been agreed for collecting rent and that it would be for the Council to decide on the issue of triggers for possession
• the cashless scheme used by the Council; how this worked and that it was reminiscent of the token system of 1930s – 1940s which stigmatised people using it.  Members were informed that the system used was based on pre-paid vouchers for the four main supermarkets
• the need to understand that the majority of people in receipt of benefits were working

Councillor Wakefield assured Members that further information would be provided especially on Discretionary Housing Payments and that the funding made available for this by Government would be used

RESOLVED – a) to note the information about the impact of the welfare reforms

  b) to note the information about the campaign against high cost lenders and to contribute to options for locality-based events and initiatives to support the campaign

  c) to note the work ongoing in the locality in response to the welfare changes