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Connecting support: Why your tenants are falling into arrears and what you can do about it Rising rent arrears, increasing income volatility and upcoming changes to disability benefits are creating new challenges for housing providers and local authorities across the UK.

Recent analysis by Policy in Practice highlights how built in features of the welfare system, such as real time income assessment, benefit deductions and policy reforms, are contributing to financial instability among tenants, particularly those already facing structural barriers like disability, caring responsibilities or single parenthood.

For many low income households, the issue isn’t budgeting, it’s that their income is eroded before it arrives. Over half of Universal Credit recipients are repaying debt through automatic deductions, leaving them short for essentials like rent. Others are impacted by erratic payment cycles or policy shifts, increasing the risk of arrears and even homelessness.

In response, Policy in Practice and Pocket Power have partnered to create a more joined up approach to tenant support. By integrating income maximisation tools with accessible referral routes, housing providers can now take a more holistic and proactive approach to preventing arrears and supporting tenancy sustainment.

Join this webinar to explore:

- The current policy landscape and how it impacts tenant incomes
- How integrated tools like the Better Off Calculator and Pocket Power referral service support a smoother customer journey
- Real world insights from guest housing providers who are using smart software to coordinate applications and reduce repeat data collection

If you're working to improve financial outcomes for tenants and reduce tenancy breakdowns, this session will offer timely, practical insights rooted in current data and frontline experience.

23/7/2025

10:30am BST

1.3 hours

Understanding the impact of disability benefits reforms on local authorities

27/8/2025

10:30am BST

1.3 hours

South Norfolk and Broadland Council streamline support for applications with Better Off Apply

Creating one route for local benefits assessment as two councils merge their back office functions

Since 2020 South Norfolk Council (SNC) and Broadland District Councils (BDC) have been supported by a shared officer team. Together, they manage key services for over 273,600 residents, including the administration of Housing Benefit (HB) and Council Tax Support (CTS).

The councils aimed to create a joint benefits application process to simplify benefits applications. To help residents and ease the administrative load on their team, they needed an efficient system to direct residents to support.

By January 2023, the two councils were at different stages in digitising their benefits applications. BDC had an online calculator that helped residents claim support easily and staff assess applications quickly. However, this was to be discontinued as the council transitioned to a joint IT system.

In contrast, SNC had no online benefits application, causing more work for residents and staff. Internal data showed that SNC received 7% more calls than BDC, with two thirds of calls about benefits forms.

Both councils saw the importance of implementing a new benefits application system, knowing that removing online forms would be a setback.

At the time, both councils were using Policy in Practice’s Better Off Calculator to help residents identify the support they were eligible for and submit applications directly. To build on this, the Partnership and Innovation Programme Manager approached Policy in Practice to expand the Better Off approach, aiming to streamline applications for HB and CTS.

Simplified benefits applications with Better Off Apply have reduced costs and administration work

The council took a two-step approach to launching Better Off Apply.

Step 1: Integrating Better Off Apply into the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support process

Policy in Practice worked with South Norfolk and Broadland councils to customise Better Off Apply which was launched after three months of development.

Better Off Apply is an innovative system combining eligibility checks and applications for national and local benefits into one form. Now, Better Off Calculator users can easily apply for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support while doing a benefits check.

When users in SNC or BDC enter their postcode they see the option to apply for local support and give consent to share their data. With two clicks and a few questions, customers finish their application in minutes.

Step 2: Promoting Better Off Apply with the Help Hub

The council uses a Help Hub model, bringing together the Benefits, Homelessness, Housing Standards and Health and Wellbeing teams.

The Help Hub team launched campaigns to promote the new calculator. They distributed leaflets and included QR codes in their annual billing encouraging residents to use the online tool. For officers, the calculator became a core resource, helping them quickly determine residents’ benefit eligibility.

Impact: Better Off Apply saves time for customers and officers, streamlining support applications

Early results of Better Off Apply are positive. By streamlining applications it has removed barriers that kept eligible residents from claiming support.

The system also reduced unnecessary phone calls, as customers no longer needed to contact the council for help with applications.

Better Off Apply also enabled collaboration in the Help Hub, allowing officers to work across teams to see the most appropriate way to help customers without making them reapply for support.

Listen back to Lindsay Sayer, South Norfolk and Broadland Council

"We are starting to grow procedures to use this as part of all the work we do with our vulnerable customers… It’s helping us grow our model of providing a more holistic service, and to stop working in silos."