0330 088 9242

hello@policyinpractice.co.uk

Benefit calculator login

Solutions
- Products
  
  Benefit and Budgeting Calculator
  Low Income Family Tracker
  Council Tax Reduction
  Multi Agency Safeguarding Tracker
  Sectors
  
  Local authorities
  
  Housing providers
  
  Charity sector
  
  Finance and utilities
  
  Client stories
  
  Anglian Water improves customer service and first-time resolution
  
  Haringey Council helped over 100 families claim Council Tax support worth nearly £1,000 each
  
  Gravesham Council helps pensioners to secure over £184,000 in unclaimed benefits
  
  Prompted by the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act, Luton Council used data analysis to prevent hardship
  
  Greenwich identifies £20 million of unclaimed benefits for residents
  
  Haringey Council used data analytics to pinpoint individual households who could be over £7,500 a year better off
  
  Northern Ireland Housing Executive maximises residents’ income by an average of £3,870
  
  Elite Supported Employment increased participant’s income by over £3,000
  
  Delivering unbroken support for 15,000 clients despite Covid-19
  
  The Guinness Partnership helps one tenant to receive £13,800 in unclaimed Severe Disability Premium
  
  New team created to help people clear debt and find work
  
  80% of financially vulnerable people who engaged with DHP campaign received an average of £450
  
  Citizens Advice Caerphilly help 6,000 clients boost their income by £3 million
  
  More cost-effective council tax reduction scheme for London Borough of Enfield
  
  Incomes of over 1,000 customers boosted by almost £3 million
  
  Tower Hamlets gives vulnerable residents the best possible support using LIFT
  
  Data-led benefit take-up campaigns boost vulnerable people’s income
  
  Reimagine Debt – An approach to preventing debt that can be scaled across government
  
  Your Housing Group increases a widower’s income by £1,320 a year
  
  Croydon Council helps over 200 homes improve their energy efficiency
  
  View all
Policy
- Publications
  
  Uprating Universal Credit to tackle the cost of living crisis
  Council Tax debt collection and low-income Londoners
  Universal Credit and Financial Resilience
  The impact of Universal Credit on employment outcomes
  View all
  Projects
  
  Welsh Government
  Covid-19
  Living Standards Index for London
  View all
  Blog
  
  New analysis: Uprating Universal Credit to tackle the cost of living crisis
  
  Cost of living crisis: Critiquing the measures to maximise income
  
  Managed migration to Universal Credit: How to help people on legacy benefits
  
  View all

Upcoming live webinars

Title	Date	Start Time	Duration	Register
How to identify and support Just About Managing households using data The government has said it wants to make life easier for the 'squeezed middle' or people who are just about managing. These are the families who are not rich and they are also not those on the lowest incomes. Despite most being in work, they are struggling to meet their cost of living and it is no wonder. The cost of living hit a 30-year high in February with inflation running at 6.2% and outpacing wage growth. Electricity bills were up nearly 20% in the year to January 2022, and gas bills by 28%, with further rises expected. Private rental prices across the UK went up by 2% in the year to January, the highest rate for five years; in the East Midlands that figure was 3.6%. We know that one in five UK adults (10.3 million people) have less than £100 in savings, one in ten have no savings at all and more than a quarter have less than £500. Many are one broken appliance away from slipping into debt. Local authorities want to help families who are struggling now to avoid a crisis down the line yet they have little or no visibility over people who are not already claiming benefits. Now though, analysis of other datasets can be used to get a clearer picture of families who are just about managing. Join this webinar to learn: - Who is just about managing now but at risk in the future due to the rising cost of living - Which datasets can be used to identify families in danger of debt - How local authorities can target support to avert crisis	29/6/2022j/n/Y	10:30 BST2022-06-29T09:30:00ZH:i T	1.3 hours	Register

On-demand webinars

Migrating to Universal Credit during the cost of living crisis

The latest innovations in designing Council Tax support schemes

How low-income families can benefit from social tariffs

About
- We believe in the power of data and technology to change lives
  
  Policy in Practice is a social policy software and analytics company working with councils, government, housing providers and community organisations. We are a team of policy experts who combine cutting-edge tech, insightful data and expert analysis. We help organisations analyse the impact of policy, identify and engage the people impacted, and track the effectiveness of interventions.
  
  Our award winning Benefit and Budgeting calculator, linked to from GOV.UK, helps around 10,000 people every day find out what support they may be eligible for. Our data analytics services help organisations find relationships in datasets and visualise the drivers of poverty. We use our policy expertise to drive change via evidence, publications and media.
  
  SCHEDULE A CALL BACK
  
  Meet the team
  
  Jobs
  
  Contact us
  
  Media

Policy work

Policy in Practice is an independent organisation founded to simplify policy for people on the frontline

Browse our policy analysis evidence

null

null

null

null

null

null

null

null

null

Browse our policy analysis blog posts

Benefit Cap Universal Credit Self employment Financing welfare Children Local government Housing Brexit Regional analysis

Photo of a woman to illustrate a blog post titled How the benefit system can do more to support women

IWD2021: How the benefit system can do more to support women

March 7, 2021

Photo to illustrate a blog post from Policy in Practice about data analysis on financially vulnerable residents in London

New analysis: Who are the most financially vulnerable residents in London?

September 3, 2020

Photo of young child on a London bus to illustrate new research by Policy in Practice on the interaction of COVID-19 measures and the Benefit Cap on low-income Londoners

New analysis: benefit capped households set to double

May 24, 2020

Image of an orange life buoy against a light grey wall to illustrate the importance of the welfare state after Coronavirus

The future of the welfare state after Coronavirus

May 12, 2020

Giovanni Tonutti, Policy in Practice, gave evidence to the Work and Pensions Select Committee on the impact of the Benefit Cap

Benefit Cap: Policy in Practice’s evidence to the Work and Pensions Select Committee

October 10, 2018

The Phase Two findings of our Low Income Londoners and welfare reform project looks at how the benefit cap affected Londoners.

How has the Benefit Cap affected Londoners?

March 26, 2018

Policy in Practice's Daniel Cavanillas takes an in depth look at the DWP's benefit cap impact assessment.

5 Things we learned from the Benefit Cap impact assessment

August 10, 2015

Managed migration to Universal Credit: How to help people on legacy benefits

May 8, 2022

Benefit sanctions set to increase dramatically and unevenly across the UK

April 12, 2022

Woman and dog at home on laptop

Over a million more people will be in poverty in April as we’re worse off than a decade ago

March 23, 2022

Photo of a food bank to illustrate a blog post on how admin data can tell us more about poverty rates in the UK

Data analysis shows 1 in 4 London households will be in poverty by April

March 14, 2022

How better use of Universal Credit can tackle the cost of living crisis

February 23, 2022

Photo of a mechanic to illustrate a blog post on the new requirement for work search at four weeks

Universal Credit: Why work search at four weeks is a lose-lose policy

February 14, 2022

Downing street

Autumn Budget 2021: Increased support, but not for everyone

October 28, 2021

photo of older person's hands holding a tea cup to illustrate a blog post on the Health and Social Care Levy

How the Health and Social Care Levy will affect care workers

September 9, 2021

Image used to illustrate a blog post titled One council’s response to the end of Covid-19 support

One council’s response to the end of Covid-19 support

July 19, 2021

Feet walking up steps

One person’s journey through the welfare system

April 9, 2021

Image to illustrate blog post by Deven Ghelani who was interviewed by Shelagh Fogerty on LBC about the Winter Economy Plan following the Chancellor's announcement. Listen back and view his tweet thread.

New COVID-19 measures announced in the Winter Economy Plan

September 25, 2020

Photo of a waiter to illustrate a blog post by Policy in Practice about the changes in the world of work and how the benefit system needs to adapt

Evidence: long term changes in the world of work and its implications for DWP

August 18, 2020

Employment Response to Coronavirus by Mark Cosen author

Coronavirus job losses demand better employment support services

July 15, 2020

How do the surplus earnings rules work in practice?

July 2, 2020

What Budget 2020 means for low-income families

March 13, 2020

What choices do self-employed people have with Universal Credit?

March 25, 2018

Woman and dog at home on laptop

Over a million more people will be in poverty in April as we’re worse off than a decade ago

March 23, 2022

Family

2022: The challenges ahead for low-income families

January 13, 2022

Wages and welfare for adult social care workers

December 8, 2021

Discretionary support: A growing part of social security

November 11, 2021

Downing street

Autumn Budget 2021: Increased support, but not for everyone

October 28, 2021

photo of older person's hands holding a tea cup to illustrate a blog post on the Health and Social Care Levy

How the Health and Social Care Levy will affect care workers

September 9, 2021

Photo of Downing Street road sign to illustrate a blog post on Budget 2021

Budget 2021: A missed opportunity for welfare certainty

March 4, 2021

image of poverty in the UK to illustrate analysis about keeping the £20 uplift to Universal Credit

The £20 uplift to Universal Credit is a first step on the path out of poverty

January 19, 2021

Image to illustrate Covid Winter Grant Scheme blog post by Policy in Practice

How councils can ease the administrative burden of the Covid Winter Grant Scheme

January 7, 2021

Picture of Houses of Parliament to illustrate a blog post on the Spending Review 2020

Spending Review 2020: From health crisis to economic emergency

November 27, 2020

Image of a sad boy to illustrate a blog post on what linking children’s social care and benefits data can tell us

What linking children’s social care and benefits data can tell us

January 25, 2022

Four practical steps the DWP can take today to improve Universal Credit

Free school meals should be for all school holidays, not just for Christmas

November 16, 2020

Photo of teenage boy at home to illustrate the need to fund free school meals

Why it pays for the government to fund Free School Meals

November 1, 2020

Man kissing laughing baby to illustrate importand of Healthy Start vouchers

Going without? 46% of eligible families aren’t claiming Healthy Start vouchers

February 24, 2020

New research: The impact of welfare reform on child vulnerability

May 11, 2019

Using data analytics to understand child vulnerability

April 17, 2019

How benefits data can help keep children out of poverty

March 14, 2019

Childcare support and Universal Credit

December 23, 2018

Two-child limit

Two-child limit: Policy in Practice’s evidence to the Work and Pensions Select Committee

December 20, 2018

Michael Parzuchowski Unsplash

How to give 1 million more children free school meals under Universal Credit

January 11, 2018

Kent county and districts collaborate

Kent County and district councils collaborate with data to tackle poverty

November 19, 2021

People under umbrellas in the rain

How to predict the demand for your customer-facing services in April 2021

October 14, 2020

Sunset and beach

Collecting council tax after COVID-19

October 5, 2020

Busy street

New figures reveal jobseeker’s claimant count more than doubles due to COVID-19

September 17, 2020

Local Housing Allowance freeze and homelessness

New analysis: Evidencing the link between the Local Housing Allowance freeze and homelessness

February 5, 2020

Local Housing Allowance freeze and homelessness

Designing effective data-led local authorities

January 29, 2020

2019: Review of council tax support schemes

December 27, 2019

Lessons learned: our year modelling Council Tax Reduction Schemes

December 12, 2019

Photo by Gemma Evans on Unsplash image to depict local welfare support

The future of local welfare support

November 20, 2019

image to illustrate discretionary housing payments in Tower Hamlets Council

How to target your Discretionary Housing Payments well

October 23, 2019

London housing apartments

Autumn of income shocks: the impact of removing Covid support

August 17, 2021

Two kids looking out the window of a house

Prevention versus cure: How councils can prepare for the end of the eviction ban

May 28, 2021

Local Housing Allowance freeze and homelessness

New analysis: Evidencing the link between the Local Housing Allowance freeze and homelessness

February 5, 2020

Housing First in England

Housing First is welcome but local authorities can do more

January 20, 2020

Photo by Dan Burton on Unsplash to illulstrate homelessness prevention

The true cost of homelessness prevention services in London

October 26, 2019

Let’s make Universal Credit work for vulnerable people

October 24, 2018

Big Issue founder leads Policy in Practice discussion on preventing vulnerability

Big Issue founder leads Policy in Practice discussion on preventing vulnerability

July 23, 2018

Lord Bird's Creditworthiness Assessment Bill can help prevent vulnerability

Lord Bird’s Creditworthiness Assessment Bill can help prevent vulnerability

June 27, 2018

Policy in Practice highlights the broken link between housing support and rents

September 9, 2017

Policy in Practice and Financial Inclusion Commission tackle problem debt

New analysis: The impact of the broken link between LHA rates and rents

September 4, 2017

The impact of Brexit on low-income households

May 5, 2019

Brexit: What’s next for ESF and local authorities?

July 12, 2016

Thurs 28 April at 10:30. Listen back to hear how smart councils are revolutionising Government’s relationship with data to help implement welfare reform.

How impactful will curbing access to benefits for EU citizens really be?

February 10, 2016

Image of Welsh flag to illustrate blog post about council tax reduction in Wales

New report: Covid-19 and council tax reduction in Wales

August 19, 2021

Image of London to illustrate blog post on council tax support scheme costs

New analysis: Council tax support scheme costs rise by 16% in London

July 14, 2021

photo of tower blocks in London to illustrate a blog post about the collection of council tax in London

A new approach to the collection of council tax in London

January 27, 2021

Photo image of Newport in Wales to illustrate data led study into the impact of Universal Credit in Wales

Analysis: The impact of Universal Credit in Wales

October 20, 2020

Photo to illustrate a blog post from Policy in Practice about data analysis on financially vulnerable residents in London

New analysis: Who are the most financially vulnerable residents in London?

September 3, 2020

Photo of young child on a London bus to illustrate new research by Policy in Practice on the interaction of COVID-19 measures and the Benefit Cap on low-income Londoners

New analysis: benefit capped households set to double

May 24, 2020

A visit to Glasgow’s Universal Credit Service Centre

August 8, 2018

The Phase Two findings of our Low Income Londoners and welfare reform project looks at how the benefit cap affected Londoners.

How has the Benefit Cap affected Londoners?

March 26, 2018

Guest blogger Jamie Sinclair shares findings from the Deep End Advice Worker project about engaging people on low incomes.

Glasgow’s Deep End Advice Worker project: improving accessibility of advice services

March 22, 2018

Tracking living standards over time: lessons learned

July 31, 2017

Menu