Housing Benefit and Welfare Reform information for landlords

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Claims and payment
       Who can claim?
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             Students
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       Making a claim
          Getting it right
             Is it a new claim?
                Claim in and correctly made?
             On HB already
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             How to claim - Others
             Nil income
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          Couples
             Couples - who should be the claimant?
             Couples where one is a student
             Couples on ESA
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                Starting work
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          Required info/evidence
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             Reasonably requested?
             NIno and Identity
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             Time limits
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             HB have lost the information
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          Date of entitlement
          Backdating
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             Good cause
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       Payment of HB
          To landlord
          To tenant
          Why hasn't it been paid?
             Payment of HB - How quickly?
             Payment on account (Interim payments)
             Claim made defective (withdrawn)?
          Less than expected
       HB stopped?
          Why has HB stopped?
          Visits
          Interventions
          Suspensions
             Suspension due to fraud
          Terminations
          When HB must inform
       Other issues
          Info you can receive
          Hostels
          HB on 2 homes?
          Waiting for Tax Credits
People from abroad
       NI Number requirement
       Immigration status test
          Who passes the Immigration Status test?
          Public Funds
          Sponsorship / maintenance undertaking
          Asylum seekers
          Refugees
          Exceptional leave
          Humanitarian protection
          Discretionary leave
          Temporary admission
          Settled status / Indefinite leave
          Evacuees
          Illegal immigrants
          Overstayers / awaiting deportation
          Appeals on leave
       Habitual Residence test
          Stage 1- Right to Reside
          Stage 2- Habitual Residence
       People from abroad- examples
       Nationality
          Common Travel Area
          British Citizens
          EEA original states
             Self employed EEA nationals
             EEA national 'worker'
             'Retired' EEA national worker
             Economically inactive EEA original national
             Partners of EEA original nationals
             Family members of EEA nationals
             Self sufficient EEA Nationals
          A8 states
             Self-employed A8
             A8 'worker'
             'Retired' A8 workers
             Economically inactive A8 nationals
             Partners of A8 nationals
             Family members of A8 nationals
             A8 worker registration scheme
          A2 states
             Self-employed A2
             A2 'worker'
             Economically inactive A2 nationals
             Partners of A2 nationals
             Family members of A2 nationals
             Authorised worker
          ECSMA / CESC
             Lawfully present
          Commonwealth countries
          Everywhere else
          Right of abode
          Dual nationality
          Family members of EEA nationals
          Right to reside - parent of child in education
          Right to reside- their child is British citizen
          Permanent residence
       Couples
       Fleeing violence
       Students
       HB claiming process
          Identity Card/ Residence Permit
       Deportees to UK
Tenancy Start/End
       Sign-up
          Helping complete the form
       Moving home
       "Overlapping" rent liability
       Former tenant arrears
How much HB?
       HB calculator
       Tenant's situation
          Working
             Tax Credits
             Off work sick?
             Overtime
             Not working regular hours
             Self-employed
             Agency work
             Return to work Credit
             In work Credit
          Starting work
             Extended payment
             HB suspended?
             Proof of earnings
             Tax Credits and HB
             Self-employed
             Return to Work Credit
             In Work Credit
             In & Out of Work process
          Incapacity Benefit
             Getting Income Support top-up?
             Not getting Income Support top-up
             Increasing HB
             Entitled to ESA?
          Employment & Support Allowance
             Couples on ESA
             On ESA- Increasing HB
          On Pension Credit
             Pension Credit calculators
             Guarantee Credit?
             Savings Credit?
             Assessed Income Figure
             Assessed Income Period
             Who can claim Pension Credit?
          Students
          IS / IR-ESA / IB-JSA
          Government Training Scheme
          Off work sick?
          In hospital
          Transferred to ESA
          Couples on ESA
          Fostering
          Under 25s
       HB calculation
          Web sites
          HB calculation checklist
          Manual calculation sheet
          Web-based HB calculator
       Eligible rent
          Service charges
          Eligible or ineligible?
          Meal and Fuel deductions
          Rent restriction
          Rent free weeks
          Monthly rents
       Supported Housing
       Income
          Disregards
          Earnings
             Expenses
             Permitted earnings disregard
          Child care costs
          Unearned income and benefits
          Backdated arrears payments
          Miscellaneous income
          Notional income
          Nil income
          Additional earnings disregard
       Savings
          Tariff income
          Notional savings
          Diminishing notional capital
          Property
          Personal Injury Payments
       Needs ('Applicable Amount')
          Personal Allowances
          Premiums
          Family Premium
          ESA Components
          ESA and couples
          Disability Premium
          Enhanced Disability Premium
          Severe Disability Premium
          Disabled Child Premium
          Carer Premium
       Common mistakes
       Discretionary Housing Payments
          Discretionary Housing Payments- Guidance
       Increasing HB amount
       Bedroom Tax
Change in circumstance
       What happens- procedure
          What will HB office do when discover a change?
             Supersession and revision
          On Pension Credit when circumstances change
          Preventing overpayments
             What landlord must tell HB office
       Away from the home
          Fleeing violence
          Prison and remand
          Medical / Care
             Caring
             Care home / respite care
          Training  / students away from home
          Holidays and other absences
             Crack house closure
          Home being repaired (decant)
       Moving
          Moving- things to consider
             HB not paid from tenancy start date
                Moved in at tenancy start date?
                Claimed within time limits?
                Provided all information asked for?
             Moving within LA area
                Date paid from
                Notification of change or new claim form?
                Evidence of change
                Time limits to notify of move
                Moves prior to tenancy start date
          HB on 2 homes
          HB for notice period
             Moving to more suitable accommodation
             Staying in hospital
             Going to prison
             Fleeing violence
             Moving to residential care
             Overpayment following termination
          HB prior to moving in
             Awaiting budgeting loan/ local welfare provision
             Moving in from hospital or residential care
             Awaiting adaptations
             Two Homes- HB prior to move
          Can DHPs help with moving?
       Other changes
          Starting / ending work
             In and Out of Work Process
                In & Out of Work Process-starting work
                In & Out of Work process-ending work
             Extended payment/4 week run-on
                Coming off IS, i.r. ESA, or i.b. JSA
                Coming off Inc Ben, C-ESA, or SDA
             Rapid reclaim
             Claiming Tax Credits?
             Return to Work Credit
             In Work Credit
             New Enterprise Allowance
          Household changes
             Birthdays & Milestones
             Comings and goings
             Non-dependant changes
             Single to Couple / couple to single
             Death
                Bereaved partner
          Sickness
          Benefit and income changes
             Non-dependant changes
             Earnings change
             Change in Tax Credits
             Increases in other benefits /awards
             Other benefits stop or decrease
          Rent changes
       Informing HB of changes
          Tenant duty to notify
          Landlord duty to notify
          Time limits to report changes
          Fraud
             Suspension due to fraud
             Fraud Act
Overpayments
       ALMOs and Councils
       Civil penalty
       Minimising impact of O'P on rent account
          Underlying entitlement
          Reduce recovery rates
       Is the O'P recoverable?
          Cause of overpayment
             Official error- overpayments
             Tenant's change of circumstances
             Death as a cause of overpayment
             Tenancy termination
             Abandonment
             Errors in rent
             Payment on account ('Interim payments')
             More than one cause
          Is it HB error?
          Who to recover from?
          To recover or not?
       Recovery Methods
          Recovery from Councils / ALMOs
          Landlord invoiced for O'P
          Recovery from schedule
          From tenant's HB
          From arrears of HB due
          Other ways from tenant
          From former tenant
          From both landlord AND tenant
          From previous landlord
          From tenant's partner
          'Blameless tenant' recovery
          Civil Penalty
          When moving home
          Recovery from bankrupt  / DRO
          Changing target of recovery
          When recovery should start
       Challenging an Overpayment
          Challenging recoverability
          Challenging who repays
          Overpayment Appeals
             Who can appeal overpayments?
             Helping tenant appeal an overpayment
             Time limits to appeal overpayments
          Time limits to challenge O'Ps
          Challenging general O'P issues
          When not to challenge overpayments
          Old overpayments
       Is the O'P correct?
          Is the O'P procedure correct?
          Is the amount correct?
             Underlying entitlement applied?
             Assessed correctly?
             Overpaid due to savings?
                Diminution of capital rule (O'Ps)
          Overpayment dates correct?
          Is the O'P recoverable?
             Cause of overpayment
             Who to recover from?
          Correct recovery method?
          O'P notified correctly?
             What notification should include
             Who should be notified?
             Notification inadequate?
                'Reasons' in O'P notification
             When recovery should start
          Tenant actually overpaid?
          Backpayments of Tax Credits
       Must I repay it? (RSL/private only)
          Who should repay the O'P?
          Abandonment
          Landlord told HB about tenant fraud
          Repayment agreements
          Threats
          Already recovered from landlord
       Reduce O'P by underlying entitlement
       Overpayments Good Practice
          Preventing overpayments
             Preventing O'Ps due to fraud
          Repaying overpayments (RSL / private)
          Notifying the tenant of an O'P
          Good Practice in Challenging
          Helping tenant with the O'P
          Liaison with HB office
       Is it arrears?
Challenging HB office
       The dispute process
       Time limits for challenging
       Who can challenge?
       Statement of reasons
       Revisions
       Appeals
       Challenging general issues
       Official error
       Negotiate instead
       Case law
       What to challenge?
Help for homebuyers
       Who cannot get help with mortgage costs?
       Which benefits can help?
       Mortgages taken out whilst on IS/IRESA/IBJSA/PC
       Liable for housing costs
       How much help with mortgage etc?
       When are housing costs paid from?
       Housing costs - linking rules
       Housing costs - repairs and improvements
       Housing costs - leasehold major works
       How to claim help with housing costs
       Shared Equity /  Shared Ownership
       Mortgage Interest Run On
       Homebuyers' service charges
       Help with Support Related Costs
Local Housing Allowance
       LHA- From what date?
       Broad Rental Market Area
       Length of LHA awards
       Paying LHA
          Difficulty paying
          Unlikely to pay
       LHA overpayments
       Protected rent levels
       LHA appeals
Non-dependant deduction
       Welfare Reform - non-dependant deductions
       Amount of deduction
       Non-dependant on ESA
       Non-dependant working
       Highest deduction applied?
          Child turns 18, becomes non-dependant
       Tenant or partner 65 or over
       Tenant or partner sick/disabled/blind
       Non-dep in prison or a long term patient
       Minimising deduction
       Non- dependant's change in circumstances
       Temporary stay
       HB won't accept that Non-dep has left
       HB won't accept that Non-dep isn't working
       Tenant can't obtain Non-dep details
       Non-dependant becomes joint tenant
       Bedroom Tax vs Non-dep deduction
Useful tools
       Newsletters
          Archived newsletters
       Which benefit?
          Attendance Allowance
          Bereavement benefits
          Child Benefit
          Child Tax Credit
          Disability Living Allowance
          Discretionary Learner Support Fund
          16-19 Bursary
          Education Maintenance Allowance
          Employment & Support Allowance
          In Work Credit
          Incapacity Benefit
          Income Support
          Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
          Jobseekers Allowance
          New Enterprise Allowance
          Pension Credit
          Personal Independence Payment
          Return to Work Credit
          16/17 year old
          Social Fund
          State Retirement Pension
          Statutory Sick Pay
          Students in Advanced education
          Supporting People Subsidy
          War Disablement pension
       Benefit Rates 2012
       Benefit Rates 2011
       Benefit Rates 2010
       Benefit rates 2009
       Summary sheets
       Law and Guidance
          HB Circulars
          HB Bulletins
          DWP Guidance Manuals
          Caselaw
             Claims and Payment Caselaw
             Tenancy start/end caselaw
             Overpayments caselaw
             How Much? caselaw
             Changes in circs caselaw
             HB Stopped? caselaw
             Challenge HB caselaw
             People from abroad caselaw
          Case-law update
          Regulations
          Pension Credit Age
       Good arrears practice
          Arrears direct / Direct deductions
          Financial statement
          Good practice at tenancy start
          Good practice in working with the HB office
          Good practice with overpayments
          Good practice at tenancy end
          HB Office good practice ideas
          Maximise tenant's income
          Discretionary Housing Payments
          Protocol for possession claims based on rent arrea
          First Right of Appropriation
       Recent questions
Leaflets, flyers & guides
Standard letters
       Users' successes with standard letters
       Claims and Payment letters
       Changes in circs letters
       Tenancy start / end letters
       Overpayment letters
       "How much HB?" letters
       "HB stopped?" letters
       "Challenging HB" letters
       Good Arrears Practice letters
Which benefits?
About us

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Welcome to hbnotes!!

Welcome to hbnotes, the website that provides quick and easy access to information on Housing Benefit for people who work in housing.

And have you seen our other website, ucnotes? Click on www.ucnotes.co.uk to find loads of information and resources on the changes under Welfare Reform, including the bedroom tax, the benefit cap, localised council tax support and universal credit. Every week we are adding more useful pages and tools to help you prepare for the huge changes to benefits - have a look and let us know what you think!

Are you new to hbnotes?

To see everything you'll need to log in with a username and password. If you are not yet a registered user click on register/free trial above.

hbnotes and ucnotes can really help reduce arrears and maximise income. Click here to see what some of our users have said about how hbnotes and ucnotes have helped them.

We have over 250 registered organisations: Housing Associations, Local Authorities, Citizens Advice Bureau and Voluntary Agencies who have access to the wealth of information that hbnotes and ucnotes have to offer. Our standard letters are particularly popular as they are such a time saver.

Benefits Training

Universal Credit

Please click here for the outline for this essential course which we tailor to the needs of your team. Contact us for more info - info@hbnotes.co.uk

For our other courses see out training page.

Welfare Reform Info

What are the Government's plans? And how will they impact on you and the people you work with?

Take a look at our other website:
www.ucnotes.co.uk.

Benefits of registering

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Housing Systems Limited | 1 Stable Courtyard | Broughton Hall Business Park | Skipton | BD23 3AE

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Home | Claims and payment | People from abroad | Tenancy Start/End | How much HB? | Change in circumstance | Overpayments | Challenging HB office | Help for homebuyers | Local Housing Allowance | Non-dependant deduction | Useful tools | Leaflets, flyers & guides | Standard letters | Which benefits? | About us