About the course

Benefit entitlements and agencies change frequently! It is crucial for housing project staff to keep ahead and think through implications for people in housing need. This course looks at the new Jobcentre Plus regime, ‘Pathways to Work' if sick or disabled and the Employment Support Allowance planned for 2008, plus the (still traumatic) introduction and new changes affecting Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. We address Supporting People, Individual Budgets, Pension Credit, payments into bank accounts and the loss of the Post Office Card Account by 2010, Standard Housing Allowance - replacing Housing Benefit nationally - and much more!

This course is not suitable for those who have never worked with benefits

Focus Courses aim to provide an in-depth study of a topic and are therefore not suitable for those who are new to the service, or have no background knowledge of the topic.

Course Content

• We address all the changing entitlements for young people, people of working age, families with children, including single parents, and older people in housing need.
• We assess the developing ‘welfare-to-work' requirements and options for people of working age - including for various people who are vulnerable.
• We map the ‘Benefits Simplification' agenda, as it is changing how people claim benefits, who processes what and how to keep on top of, or challenge decision-making.
• We consider the new organisational arrangements for working with each group, including implications and scope for liaison with housing projects.
• Evaluation

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course participants will:

• List details of all current rules of entitlement under key provisions
• Outline ‘welfare to work’ requirements and options for people of working age
• Detail all the new organisational arrangements and data sharing for those providing benefits and credits; and scope for liaison or challenge.
• Assess every aspect of the changes in terms of the implications for housing projects and people in housing need