Agenda item

To receive an update from the Chief Officer – Customer Access and Welfare with regards to the move to full service digital implementation of Universal Credit a year on from its introduction.

The Chief Officer Customer Access and Welfare submitted a report that provided Members with an updated position on the roll out of Universal Credit (UC), a year on from the introduction of full service in Leeds.

Appended to the report included:

o  Universal Credit Claimants by Ward and Community Committee

o  Citizen’s Advice Enquiries

o  Welfare Rights UC enquiries by ward

o  Financial Inclusion Update – Executive Board Report 19^th September 2019

The following were in attendance for this item:

o  Councillor Coupar, Executive Member for Communities

o  Jo Rowlands, Financial Inclusion Manager

o  Mandy Sawyer, Head of Neighbourhood Services

o  Kevin Bruce, Service Manager

o  Lee Hemsworth, Chief Officer Customer Access and Welfare

o  Nick Hart, Deputy Head Customer Contact

o  Simon Betts, DWP

o  Allison France, DWP

o  Nick Morgan, Chapeltown CAB

The officers in attendance provided Members with a presentation highlighting some background context of UC, the National Policy Changes in 2019 and Key Statistics in regard to LCC Welfare and Benefits, LCC Housing, DWP and Citizens Advice. Members heard that issues remain outstanding with the Advanced Payments Process, residents receiving incorrect advice to claim for UC and those residents whom remain in vulnerable situations requiring assistance to deal with their claims.

Members’ discussed a number of matters including:

·  Out of Hours queries provision. Members were informed that 37 Community Hubs across the city provided free public access to phones with a direct CAB hotline. In regard to the DWP, a service was available until 6.30 p.m.; the service had been considering an online service subject to a need being identified.

·  Pre-existing debt. A Member raised concerns in regard to the UC advanced payments, and whether pre-existing debt had been taken into consideration to alleviate further debt concerns. Members were informed that a comprehensive review is undertaken prior to lending, and subject to the outcome, the resident could be referred to further services around the city.Further to this, the Executive Member for Communities suggested that residents who are being impacted from UC, be provided with the opportunity to attend a future Scrutiny Board meeting.

·  Food poverty. A Member queried the mechanisms in place to help support foodbanks, and whether data could be provided per ward. In responding, the Board heard that due to the various ‘in-formal’ foodbanks (churches, schools and charity organisations), it would be difficult to produce such data. Further to this, the Board were informed a report on Food Insecurity was expected at a future Executive Board meeting.

Members of the Board welcomed the collaborative approach taken by partners in the city to support those Leeds residents who have become, or are in the process of becoming, recipients of Universal Credit.

The Board recognised the need for continued Scrutiny, and the Chair proposed its successor Board hold a working group, to hear from those Leeds claimants affected by UC, and that this be prioritised by mid-2020. 

RESOLVED – The Scrutiny Board (Environment, Housing and Communities):

a)  Noted the contents of the report, along with Members comments raised during the meeting;

b)  Requested that the successor Scrutiny Board undertake a working group to gain insight into the issues claimants are experiencing with UC.