Our tools help local authorities tackle the drivers of poverty and
The pandemic has impacted millions of people, including those who have no experience of the benefits system.
One in three households have lost income because of Covid-19, and nearly half of people with children have lost household income. Over 7 million UK adults are behind on their household bills.
This drop in the nation’s financial resilience means that local authorities are faced with higher demand for support.
Policy in Practice can help local authorities get the clarity needed to better support residents, and improve social outcomes. Through income maximisation and improved debt management, local authorities can create financial stability within their residents and their council.
By using data intelligently to identify and support people who are most vulnerable, local authorities can manage demand more effectively. Targeting support early helps to build a pathway to independence.
LIFT helps you to identify vulnerability, target support and track change using data analysis
CTR modelling helps you to design the best possible scheme to support your low-income residents
LIFT platform
Administrative datasets can yield powerful insights that give a fuller picture, and help drive change. LIFT allows local authorities to combine their datasets with our policy engine to make better decisions.
You can see how individual households are impacted by policy changes, now and in the future. Use the information to identify the most vulnerable families, target support to them, and track the change.
Our local authority clients use LIFT to:
- Tackle problem debt and arrears
- Maximise the income of households
- Evidence return on investment in support
- Identify and support families at risk of eviction
- Avoid unnecessary cost by preventing hardship
- Limit and mitigate the local impact of COVID-19
- Understand current and future demand for services
Data analytics using the LIFT platform allows Haringey Council to identify vulnerable residents, target relevant support and track changes in living standards. The corporate board identified that people, culture and processes can be a barrier to the wider use of data.
LIFT helped Haringey Council to improve the financial resilience of carers. It also helped the council by tackling both the data challenge, and the people, processes and culture challenge that Haringey and many other councils face. The financial return was over £560,000 to residents and over £162,000 to the council.
Each household helped by the campaign was better off by almost £37,000 in total, or £7,534 per year for five years.
Council Tax Reduction Scheme Modelling
It’s difficult to be sure you have the fairest and most effective Council Tax support scheme, especially when caseloads change dramatically.
We help councils model different schemes based on many complex and combined local factors. Using data-led analytics we clearly show how different groups of residents will be affected by scheme changes, in advance.
Our local authority clients use our Council Tax support scheme modelling to:
- See how changes affect costs, arrears and collection
- Compare caseload costs with other local authorities
- Get detailed insights for Members and consultation
- Understand the impact on vulnerable groups
- Understand the impact of Universal Credit
- Model scheme costs into the future
- Give stakeholders confidence
Allan Clark, Revenues and Benefits Manager, discusses how Barnet Council have adapted their Council Tax Reduction Scheme for Universal Credit using Policy in Practice’s data modelling.
Better Off Calculator
Our award-winning Better Off Calculator is the best tool to help you grow the financial strength of your residents.
The calculator helps you build the financial strength of your residents without needing to be a welfare expert. The tool helps you securely and confidentially assess your resident’s unique situation to pinpoint benefits they may be eligible for, to give them the widest possible range of support. It uses your resident’s information to calculate their future income to help them plan from month to month, so they can take control of their money and become financially stronger.
Whether you offer a self serve calculator on your website or liaise directly with your clients by phone and email, you can be confident that you are giving the most accurate and up to date guidance, as efficiently as possible.
Our local authority clients use the Better Off Calculator to:
- Accurately maximise income
- Compare different scenarios
- Create a positive action plan
- Explain complex changes simply
- Identify ways to improve budgeting
- Give consistent and up-to-date guidance
- Save, store and access cases efficiently
Andy Johnson, Employment Solutions Officer at Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council discusses how Rotherham’s Employment Solutions Team are using data to increase people’s income.
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Register for an upcoming webinar
| Title | Date | Start Time | Duration | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reducing barriers to work using data led campaigns
In September 2023 the UK experienced an economic inactivity rate of 21.3% and an estimated unemployment rate of 4.3%, both of which have increased compared to previous data. Economic inactivity has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, prompting government efforts to integrate this group into the workforce. Historically, policies under Universal Credit and legacy benefits emphasised pushing people into employment through conditionality and short term measures. Today, both major political parties are exploring ways to facilitate return to work and eliminate barriers to employment. However, the government is also extending conditionality and adopting a tougher stance on sanctions for a broader range of people. Haringey is home to a young, ethnically diverse population. In June 2023, almost one fifth of those between 16 to 65 were on Universal Credit. Nearly 7% of residents over 16 were claiming unemployment related benefits, a figure above the London average of 4.7% and the 3rd highest rate of all UK councils Haringey Council wanted to find ways to overcome barriers to employment for young people and families with children and has used data to achieve success with its employment support programmes. Join this webinar to learn: - The new carrot and stick policy changes designed to break down barriers to work and reduce economic inactivity - What Haringey Council did to increase take up of free childcare for two year olds to 70% - How Haringey Council successfully helped 95 NEETs on their employment journey With guest speakers from Haringey Council | 29/11/2023 | 10:30 GMT | 1.3 hours | Register |
| Policy review of 2023 and what 2024 may hold
Join our last webinar of 2023 to hear our policy analysts review 2023's policy changes and big issues, from the ongoing cost of living and energy crises to the funding of local government and the Autumn Statement. We will highlight our policy findings from the year including our work that revealed that millions of households across the UK are missing out on £19 billion of support each year. We'll look at the role that data is playing in helping leading organisations to tackle these issues. Through case studies of different types of households we'll look at what the changes mean for families now, and what 2024 has in store. Along the way we'll share the positive impact that organisations we work with are having, and give practical solutions that others can adopt. | 6/12/2023 | 10:30 GMT | 1.3 hours | Register |
| How the debt sector is connecting people to support | 31/1/2024 | 10:30 GMT | 1.3 hours | Register |