Agenda item

6.1

Tim Hardie (Head of Commercial Business Development), Maxine Stavrianakos (Head of Neighbourhood Intervention and Tenant Support) and Cat Arnold (Policy and Improvement Officer) attended the meeting and presented the report.

6.2

The report provided the Committee with an update following the introduction of Universal Credit (UC), which had now been in operation in Sheffield for over 12 months, and gave further information on how UC had impacted on housing rent arrears, take up of Council Tax Support and the experiences of vulnerable groups in the city.

6.3

Councillor Josie Paszek asked whether and decision had yet been made on further ongoing support for claimants.  Tim Hardie replied that it was hoped that the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) would continue their support.

6.4

A further question was asked about what percentage of housing rent arrears were due to UC and it was answered that 10% of tenants were receiving UC, but not all benefit claimants were on UC, there was a mix of legacy benefits.  It was expected that up to 16,000 people would eventually be claiming UC and it should be noted that it was paid in arrears which created a natural upwards pressure.  The Council worked closely with the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) and CAB to get advice and support out to claimants.

6.5

Councillor Josie Paszek asked whether everyone claiming UC had to have a bank account.  Maxine Stavrianakos confirmed that UC claimants needed to have a bank account, but it did not have to support direct debits which were the Council’s preferred method of collecting payment.  Work was being carried out with Customer Services to ensure that other methods were available to claimants.

6.6

Tim Hardie explained that when new UC claims were received by the Council, they were also treated as Council Tax support claims which was made easier as the teams were more able to work more closely together since the insourcing of Revenues and Benefits.  Rent Officers were also talking to tenants about rent and council tax at the same time.

6.7

Councillor Paszek asked about under 25’s and other vulnerable groups.  It was explained that the Council was working with the CAB to set up surgeries to speak with care leavers.

6.8

Councillor Mohammed Mahroof asked how the Council could help stop exploitation of vulnerable groups by people offering to fill out forms for money.  Cat Arnold explained that the DWP reported issues to the Police when known and work was being carried out with the Communications Service to work on communication regarding how to access free support.  This would be available in community languages.

6.9

Eugene Walker, Executive Director – Resources, explained that the Council had received funding to work on applications for EU status following Brexit and this would help ensure that there were trusted places for people to go to access support.  The Council also attended the Private Landlord Forum.

6.10

Councillor Angela Argenzio asked how people with disabilities had been affected by UC.  Cat Arnold said that there was anecdotal evidence that people with disabilities had been adversely affected.  UC was a web based system, but there was a telephone system in place.

6.11

Eugene Walker informed the Committee that work was being undertaken to measure the impact of UC and the Council’s role was increasingly becoming one of advocacy, questioning and scrutiny.  UC was administered by the DWP, so the Council could only lobby to try to make things easier. 

6.12

Councillor Angela Argenzio asked if the Council worked with any charities and carried out training on how they could support people.  Cat Arnold explained that the DWP had run many awareness sessions for local organisations, charities and private landlords.  All Council staff and DWP staff were trained to spot safeguarding issues.

6.13

RESOLVED: That; (1) the information set out in the report and appendices be noted.