Workshop Details
Understanding Housing Benefit & Applying Best Practice
Problem Areas Explained
Overpayments & Recovery • LHAs - Key Issues
Problems With Disputes Processes
Developments With Backdating
Moving Home • Two Homes • Absences From Home
A Workshop that covers a range of topical issues where the Housing Benefit Rules have recently seen changes, or the interpretation and implementation of rules have been the subject of legal decisions and clarification. An ideal follow-up Workshop for people who have received their initial training on Housing Benefit and now wish to look at some key issues in more detail.
_______________________________________________________________________________
No Regional Workshop dates currently planned.
IN-HOUSE WORKSHOPS - Do you have a lot of staff needing this training and would you like us to arrange this Workshop at your own training venue just for the staff from your own organisation? We would be pleased to arrange this - please contact us for further details and availabilty of dates. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
The administration of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit is constantly seeing a wide range of changes to the Rules and Regulations, and existing Rules also continue to be challenged. There is still a range of different interpretations being applied around the country, and this Workshop is therefore designed to look at a range of important issues that constantly cause debate on how the Rules and Commissioners’ decisions should be implemented. The Workshop will enable delegates to consider and review these key areas to help ensure that good practice is being applied in their own organisations.
Problems With Disputes Procedures. Subjects to be considered will include how to distinguish reconsiderations from appeals, lapsing appeals, and appeals about terminations.
Overpayments. An update will be provided on how to calculate the amount of an overpayment, underlying entitlement, who overpayments may be recovered from, and overpayment appeals.
Moving Home, Two Homes & Absences From Home. Absences from the home, and issues relating to moving home and two homes, have been constant areas of confusion over the years. The Workshop will enable discussion on these topics and provide clarification on the recent changes and results of challenges that should apply to cases.
Local Housing Allowances – Key issues. Issues covered will include the ‘change of claimant’ issue and whether or not this can change a claim to a LHA case, backdating, breaks in entitlement, extended payments, boarders, joint tenants, sub-tenants and other households, as well as any other new issues which occur up to the date of the Workshop.
By means of presentations, discussions and exercises our presenter, John Zebedee, will provide a fact-filled day covering the most up-to-date information available. Comprehensive course notes and worked examples on key issues will be provided. Time is also provided at the end of the day to briefly discuss the key October 2008 changes and any other HB matters that delegates would like some clarification. Numbers attending the Workshop will be strictly limited to encourage participation and debate.
This Workshop is ideal for more experienced HB assessment staff, benefit advisors and income management/debt recovery officers who wish to update their knowledge on these specific areas of the Housing Benefit Scheme. It also provides a good follow-up Workshop for HB staff that have attended an introductory course and now wish to expand their knowledge of the subject.
