A data-led campaign to boost take-up of unclaimed Pension Credit identifies 8,500 Londoners for £3,700 of additional income each year
Wales
Universal Credit, Council Tax Reduction scheme and rent arrears in Wales: final report
The report focuses on the impact of Universal Credit on the Council Tax Reduction Scheme, council tax reduction awards, council tax arrears and rent arrears in Wales. The report also considers the experience of Universal Credit claimants and stakeholders.
Conclusions show Universal Credit is a significant change in welfare support for low-income households. The report provides evidence that the move to Universal Credit is having an impact on household resilience and debt levels of low-income residents in Wales.
There is evidence of lower council tax reduction awards, higher council tax arrears, and higher rent arrears, as households move to Universal Credit. There is also evidence that all forms of arrears could accumulate once households have moved to Universal Credit.
Aspects of Universal Credit, such as the five-week wait, monthly payments and levels of support, risk causing financial difficulty and debt for some claimants. However, it is worth noting that a minority of participating households preferred the control of their claim offered by Universal Credit.
Universal Credit, Council Tax Reduction scheme and rent arrears in Wales: interim report
The Welsh Government wants to understand how Universal Credit is affecting families in Wales. Research by Policy in Practice will help the Welsh Government make policy decisions to best support local authorities, and their residents, with Universal Credit. This interim report focuses on the impact of Universal Credit on the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS) and possible amendments to the scheme.
New report: Covid-19 and council tax reduction in Wales
Read findings about Covid-19 and council tax reduction in Wales from our new research for the Welsh government.
New analysis: Council tax support scheme costs rise by 16% in London
New data-led analysis shows how the council tax support scheme costs and caseloads changed in London due to the pandemic.
A new approach to the collection of council tax in London
Paul Howarth looks at new research about the collection of council tax in London commissioned by the Greater London Authority and published by Policy in Practice today.
Analysis: The impact of Universal Credit in Wales
Commissioned by the Welsh Government, Policy in Practice has completed a major 18 month data led study of the impact of Universal Credit in Wales.
New analysis: Who are the most financially vulnerable residents in London?
Read seven new findings about the most financially vulnerable residents in London as revealed by our latest modelling of data from 20 London Boroughs.
New analysis: benefit capped households set to double
Benefit capped households are set to double as a result of the interaction of the COVID-19 measures and the Benefit Cap. We examine why, for the GLA.
A visit to Glasgow’s Universal Credit Service Centre
Deven Ghelani visited Glasgow’s Universal Credit service centre with Lord Kirkwood to understand the experiences of frontline practitioners who are delivering Universal Credit Full service.
How has the Benefit Cap affected Londoners?
The Phase Two findings of our Low Income Londoners and welfare reform project looks at how the benefit cap affected Londoners.
Glasgow’s Deep End Advice Worker project: improving accessibility of advice services
Guest blogger Jamie Sinclair shares findings from the Deep End Advice Worker project about engaging people on low incomes.
London
The interaction of COVID-19 measures and the Benefit Cap on low-income Londoners
Policy in Practice has been commissioned by the Greater London Authority to analyse the interaction between the COVID-19 increase in benefits introduced in April 2020 as part of the COVID-19 response and the benefit cap. Our findings show that benefit capped households are set to double. Welcome increases are hitting a static benefit cap yet and thousands of households are missing out.
May 2020
The impact of the COVID-19 Hardship Fund on low-income Londoners
Policy in Practice has been commissioned by the Greater London Authority to analyse the impact of the COVID-19 hardship fund allocations to London Boroughs in order to understand how effective the additional funds will be in helping Londoners to meet their council tax liability.
Our analysis found that, although all London Boroughs will welcome this additional funding, their ability to support residents will vary depending on their current CTR scheme and their current CT charge. This broad approach to allocating the new support will leave individual local authorities with very different amounts of discretionary support.
May 2020
LSI (Living standards index) for London
Supported by the Trust for London, Policy in Practice analyses a new Living Standards Index for London which tracks the financial security of 550,000 low-income families to reveal the pockets of poverty in our nation’s capital.
April 2019
How London used data to make pensioners £8 million a year better off
Our latest campaign saw millions of pounds of Pension Credit claimed by thousands of Londoners who didn’t know they were eligible.
Over a million more people will be in poverty in April as we’re worse off than a decade ago
Over a million more people will be in poverty this April says new analysis from Policy in Practice ahead of the Spring Statement 2022.
Autumn of income shocks: the impact of removing Covid support
New data-led analysis shows how Covid support measures played a vital role in helping low-income Londoners avoid poverty.
New analysis: Council tax support scheme costs rise by 16% in London
New data-led analysis shows how the council tax support scheme costs and caseloads changed in London due to the pandemic.
New analysis: Who are the most financially vulnerable residents in London?
Read seven new findings about the most financially vulnerable residents in London as revealed by our latest modelling of data from 20 London Boroughs.
New analysis: benefit capped households set to double
Benefit capped households are set to double as a result of the interaction of the COVID-19 measures and the Benefit Cap. We examine why, for the GLA.
The true cost of homelessness prevention services in London
Fabiana Macor, Policy and Data Analyst at Policy in Practice, looks at the importance of costing the homelessness crisis both in London and across the UK and the role data analysis can play in homelessness prevention.
London councils unite to reveal pockets of poverty
A new tool is helping councils turn rich data into real help for low-income families. The new Living Standards Index for London, built by collaboration, reveals the capital’s pockets of poverty.
New tool reveals London’s pockets of poverty
A new Living Standards Index for London tracks the financial security of 550,000 low-income families to reveal the pockets of poverty in our nation’s capital. Read our media release here.
A tale of two councils: Luton and Barking and Dagenham use data insights to build residents’ resilience
Effective use of data insights can identify struggling households and offer proactive, tailored support to help boost their incomes before they hit crisis point. We see how Barking and Dagenham and Luton councils have taken different approaches to this challenge.
Scotland
The Scottish Parliament, Social Security Committee, Benefit take up inquiry
In September 2019 the Scottish Parliament’s Social Security Committee launched an inquiry into benefit take-up. The remit was how take-up for both reserved and devolved social security benefits could be improved, including through benefit automation. The Committee wished to explore what we do, and do not know about what is unclaimed and what can be learned from previous efforts to promote take-up. Policy in Practice welcomed the opportunity to provide written and verbal evidence.
Evidence: the role of Scottish Social Security in Covid-19 recovery
Read a review of our evidence to the Scottish Social Security Committee on the role of Scottish Social Security in Covid-19 recovery.
A visit to Glasgow’s Universal Credit Service Centre
Deven Ghelani visited Glasgow’s Universal Credit service centre with Lord Kirkwood to understand the experiences of frontline practitioners who are delivering Universal Credit Full service.
Glasgow’s Deep End Advice Worker project: improving accessibility of advice services
Guest blogger Jamie Sinclair shares findings from the Deep End Advice Worker project about engaging people on low incomes.
Policy in Practice gives evidence to Scottish Parliament on two child limit for tax credits
Policy in Practice director Deven Ghelani gave evidence to the Scottish Parliament Social Security Committee on two child limit for tax credits this week.
Are UK cities overdue a dose of devolution?
Policy in Practice gives an overview of the journey to devolution in Britain to date, looking at the opportunities for cities, authorities and LEPs.
What England and Wales can learn from Scotland about problem debt
To achieve financial inclusion we must tackle problem debt. Policy in Practice and Financial Inclusion Commission look at what can be learnt from Scotland.
IRRV Scottish Benefits and Welfare Reform Conference 2015
Deven Ghelani spoke at the IRRV conference in Scotland on 2 Dec 2015 about Universal Credit and other welfare reforms at the household level. View his slides here.