Title	Date	Start Time	Duration	Register
How the housing crisis has deepened the cost of living crisis For most people housing is the highest living cost, yet the ongoing housing crisis in the UK is often overlooked when discussing the current cost of living crisis. This webinar will explore the policy issues affecting housing affordability for low-income households, examining the scale of the problem as well as what can be done in both the short and long term. We will highlight important work done by our clients using data to proactively address housing issues. We will be joined by a leading local authority to discuss a recent project conducted with Policy in Practice that used benefits administration data to identify households in temporary accommodation that could be helped to move into the private rental sector. Join this webinar to learn: - How UK housing policy interacts with the cost of living crisis - How local authorities are using data to proactively tackle housing affordability problems - Actions you can take now to support your residents dealing with housing issues alongside the cost of living crisis	27/7/2022j/n/Y	10:30 BST2022-07-27T09:30:00ZH:i T	1.3 hours	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	21/9/2022j/n/Y	10:30 BST2022-09-21T09:30:00ZH:i T	1.3 hours	Register

Title

Date

Start Time

Duration

How the housing crisis has deepened the cost of living crisis For most people housing is the highest living cost, yet the ongoing housing crisis in the UK is often overlooked when discussing the current cost of living crisis.

This webinar will explore the policy issues affecting housing affordability for low-income households, examining the scale of the problem as well as what can be done in both the short and long term.

We will highlight important work done by our clients using data to proactively address housing issues.

We will be joined by a leading local authority to discuss a recent project conducted with Policy in Practice that used benefits administration data to identify households in temporary accommodation that could be helped to move into the private rental sector.

Join this webinar to learn:

- How UK housing policy interacts with the cost of living crisis
- How local authorities are using data to proactively tackle housing affordability problems
- Actions you can take now to support your residents dealing with housing issues alongside the cost of living crisis

27/7/2022

10:30 BST

1.3 hours

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

21/9/2022

10:30 BST

1.3 hours

Browse our analysis of Universal Credit policy

Evidence Blog posts

Evidence into DWP’s preparations for changes in the world of work

Policy in Practice was pleased to submit evidence to the Work and Pensions Committee’s inquiry into how prepared DWP and its Jobcentre Plus network is for changes in the world of work brought about by new technology.

The Committee asked to hear about the challenges DWP faces as a result of technological change, the extent to which it is already prepared for these, and what further changes might be needed to best support claimants in the future world of work.

July 2020

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The Economics of Universal Credit

Policy in Practice welcomed the call for evidence by the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee into the economics of Universal Credit and submitted evidence based on our own analysis, alongside feedback and recommendations from the frontline organisations with work with.

Our analysis considered how well has Universal Credit met its original objectives, and whether these the right ones; the economic impact and fiscal entrenchment; which claimants have benefited most from the Universal Credit reforms and which have lost out; how the world of work has changed since the introduction of Universal Credit and whether Universal Credit’s design adequately reflect the reality of low-paid work and how Universal Credit can better meet the lived experience of claimants.

February 2020

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Universal Credit and Financial Resilience

Our Universal Credit analysis identifies 7 factors that determine a household’s ability to cope with the transition to Universal Credit. We find that at least 3.3 million households yet to move to Universal Credit, will face at least one of these challenges. But these factors can often interact and overlap. In addition, at least 1.2 million low-income households will face two or more of these challenges. We give 4 recommendations that Government should adopt now: a targeted grant in place of the Universal Credit advance payment, two-week run-on of Child Tax Credit, fortnightly payments of Universal Credit and greater flexibility in processes.

September 2019

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Natural migration to Universal Credit

Zoe Charlesworth, Head of Policy was invited to give evidence to the Work and Pensions Select Committee on how moving onto Universal Credit will affect people and the differences between ‘natural’ and ‘managed’ migration.

March 2019

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Managed migration to Universal Credit consultation

In August 2018 we submitted evidence to the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC)’s consultation on proposals for moving all existing claimants of a working age income-related benefit to Universal Credit.

We argued that the choice is between delivering a generic managed migration process to all households, versus a much more tailored, personalised approach. We said this opportunity to engage households should be seized, with the ambition not only to help people onto Universal Credit, but also to help people take steps toward independence.

August 2018

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The implications of Universal Credit for people living with motor neurone disease (MND)

The Motor Neurone Disease Association (MND Association) is interested in the impact that Universal Credit will have on people living with motor neurone disease (MND). Policy in Practice has been commissioned to carry out this research and present the findings in a report.

The report provides a background to Universal Credit and looks in-depth at those elements of Universal Credit that bear most relevance to people living with MND. It examines the Universal Credit claim process, highlights how this differs from legacy benefits, and the resulting impacts on those living with MND. The report makes recommendations that would assist the customer journey for those with MND.

Illustrative case studies that link to the Policy in Practice Benefit and Budgeting Calculator, that enable further modelling of benefit awards for those with MND, are also included.

June 2018

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Autumn Budget 2017: Briefing option papers on Universal Credit

The briefing papers were created with feedback from practioners and analysis by Policy in Practice. The options in the papers were discussed with DWP and offer a range of suggestions that would ease the transition for the seven million households who will be receiving Universal Credit in the coming years.

November 2017

Options to reduce the 6 week wait

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More options to improve Universal Credit

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Universal Credit: Towards an effective poverty reduction strategy

This comprehensive review of Universal Credit finds that Universal Credit will help to reduce poverty through more money in people’s ‘pockets’ and improved ‘prospects’ upon entering work. The report recommends short, medium and long term reforms to Universal Credit to make the policy truly transformative. It was written by Deven Ghelani and Lisa Stidle and supported by the JRF.

June 2014

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