Universal Credit Data Collection

This survey aims to capture the impacts of Universal Credit on housing associations on a monthly basis.

The information provided by members to the SFHA has been invaluable in giving us evidence to put before both the UK and Scottish Governments, as part of our lobbying on your behalf; we have also been able to use the evidence you provide in our submission to parliamentary committees which in their turn can hold their respective governments to account.

The more evidence we can gather the stronger is our case. Regular returns build a vivid illustration of trends and flag up concerns which it is in the DWP’s own interest, as much as their stakeholders, to consider.

The roll out of the Universal Credit Full Service will have a profound impact on your rent income management – both in terms of the upsurge in the caseload and the more complex variety of individual cases. If there is evidence that the system is not working well it is vital we draw attention to this – which is why we need and ask for your help and cooperation each month.

We would be grateful if you could fill this in as a snapshot of your current position as at 31st January 2018. This survey will close at 9am on Wednesday 14th February.

Thank you for all the effort you put into completing these surveys.

1. Contact details

Please provide your details below: *This question is required.

Name

Job title

Organisation

Email address

Universal Credit Claimant Numbers

2. How many of your tenants are currently on UC (with housing costs) as at 31st January 2018?

	On live service?
	On full service?

3. For new claimants that received their first payment in January how many of these claims managed to include housing costs?

	On live service
	On full service

4. Of your new UC claimants in January, can you say how many were in arrears before their claim?

	On live service
	On full service

5. The DWP aims to notify landlords of all new claimants within 7 days of receiving verification of a rent liability from the claimant. Of your new claims during January, how many of these notifications took longer than 7 days?

If you have cases in where notification exceeded the 7 day target time, which you would like the SFHA to raise with the DWP, please send details to jhewer@sfha.co.uk. This question requires a valid number format.

6.

If you are in Full Service and receiving Managed Payments to Landlords (Scottish UC Choices Direct Rent Payments), you will be receiving either a paper or electronic schedule that gives details for the four weekly bulk payment.

Initial reports were that the schedules were inaccurate or incomplete. The DWP has asked for feedback on this, what the problems are and if indeed any of them have been resolved.

Can you say whether you have had any of the following problems currently or in the past:

Space Cell	Current problem	Past problem
Errors/mistakes in the reference/NINO quoted	Errors/mistakes in the reference/NINO quoted : Current problem	Errors/mistakes in the reference/NINO quoted : Past problem
No reference (AR or MP) to indicate what the payment was for	No reference (AR or MP) to indicate what the payment was for: Current problem	No reference (AR or MP) to indicate what the payment was for: Past problem
Misposted payment (you received payment for another landlord’s tenant)	Misposted payment (you received payment for another landlord’s tenant): Current problem	Misposted payment (you received payment for another landlord’s tenant): Past problem
Another landlord received a payment for your tenant	Another landlord received a payment for your tenant: Current problem	Another landlord received a payment for your tenant: Past problem
Payments that you have not been able to identify what they are for, and have been put into a suspense account	Payments that you have not been able to identify what they are for, and have been put into a suspense account: Current problem	Payments that you have not been able to identify what they are for, and have been put into a suspense account: Past problem

Arrears

7. To date, for tenants on UC, on live service

How many are in arrears?
How much do they owe in total?

8. To date, for tenants on UC, on full service:

How many are in arrears?
How much do they owe in total?

9. For any other tenants not on UC

How many are in arrears?
How much do they owe in total?

Comments / feedback

10. Do you have any comments to make about the DWP service centre?

Please utilise the space below to provide feedback on the service received from:
the DWP telephony service;
the escalation line and;
the email address into the service centre.

Please also provide any feedback on the housing verification process;
the new claim notification letters;
and the APA and third party deduction process.

11. Any other comments regarding this survey, the DWP or its operations?

Universal Credit Data Collection - as at January 31st