Housing and Council Tax Benefit Take Up Strategy

Content

1. Reason for take up strategy
2. Economic and social structure of the population of Taunton Deane Borough
3. Why people do not apply
4. Targeting take up
5. The way forward
5.2 Website
5.3 Posters, leaflets and promoting benefit availability
5.4 Networking and liaison
5.5 Partnership working
5.6 Advice surgeries
5.7 Home visits
5.8 Monitoring effectiveness of take up
5.8.3 Take up action

Taunton Deane Borough Council's Housing and Council Tax Benefit Take Up Strategy demonstrates the Council's commitment to improve the livelihoods of its residents, ensuring we deliver benefits to everyone who has a rightful entitlement. This strategy outlines the way in which we will deliver this commitment to our customers.

1. Reasons for take up strategy

1.1 There are several important reasons why Taunton Deane Borough Council should prioritise Housing and Council Tax Benefit Take Up:

• Encouraging Take Up improves the local economy. Not only is the income of recipients improved but there is also a direct positive impact on increased spending in the community.
• A positive action on poverty will have a knock-on effect of easing the pressure on services dealing with long-term poverty e.g. Health and Social Services.
• Maximising take up can improve the collection of rent on Taunton Deane Borough Council properties and in Council Tax. An outcome of more wealth in the community could mean a decrease in money owed to the Council.

2. Economic and social structure of the population of Taunton Deane Borough

2.1 According to the 2001 Census the total number of people living in the borough of Taunton Deane is 102,299. Much of the population is centred in 4 main towns:

• Taunton 60,700
• Wellington 12,600
• Bishops Lydeard 3,560
• Wiveliscombe 2,650

Much of the remaining land is agricultural, with the residual population living in the smaller villages and hamlets.

2.2 Ethnicity

2.2.1 The Census identifies 98.4% of the population as white.   The remaining 1.6% are identified as various ethnic groups of which the largest is Chinese (330 people). Other ethnic groups are very much in the minority e.g. the Bangladeshi community are only 0.1% of the population likewise are the Pakistani and the Afro/ Caribbean Community.

2.3 Deprivation

2.3.1 In 2002 a report by the Health and Social Needs Analysis Group stated a measurement of deprivation for priority wards in Somerset. Taunton Deane's priority wards are as follows:

2.4 Economic activity

2.4.1 The 2001 Census showed that Taunton Deane's level of economic inactivity was 33.8% of the population. Those included in the definition of "economically inactive" are the retired, carers, students, and the permanently sick.

2.4.2 63.8% of the population were employed and 2.4% were economically active students.

3. Why people do not apply

As long ago as 1988 research shows the reasons people do not claim are more complex than first thought. Pride and worry about the stigma attached to claiming benefit do deter people but they are not the only reasons.  

• Lack of awareness is commonplace; even though information is available people do not always access this.  
• A poor perception of the gains to be had from claiming certain benefits is another reason people don't apply. Often when it is pointed out to people the benefits to be had in real money terms, their perception changes.  
• A claimant must have positive beliefs and feelings about the process of claiming and about the institutions managing benefits. Bad experiences about claiming can result in negative expectations being passed on to people who have had no experience of claiming.

3.2 The implication is that where possible, a personalised approach to benefit take up is more likely to have a positive effect. Age Concern stress the need for face-to-face advice for pensioners, preferably with home visits, as confusion about the system is a major barrier to take up for the elderly Many pensioners rely on what they have been told rather than getting information themselves. In 2003 there are 11.2 million pensioners resident in the UK of which 2 million live below the poverty line. One-third of pensioners do not claim Council Tax Benefit and one-tenth Housing Benefit.

3.3 Taunton Deane Borough Council's Benefits Unit has been actively encouraging people to take up benefits that they are entitled to. Our experience shows that for take up to be successful the way to get the message across is to network directly with community groups, ensuring we provide sensitive support. Again people feel best served by face-to-face attention.

4 Targeting take up

4.1 Adhering to the principles of Social Inclusion, we will target take up at groups identified in national surveys as under claiming. These groups are:  

• Pensioners  
• Ethnic Minorities  
• The Disabled/Severely disabled  
• Lone Parents  
• In Work/Low-Income Claimants  
• Claimants in Hospital
  

5 The way forward

5.1 Media and Advertising

5.1.1 We advertise Housing and Council Tax Benefit in the hospital radio magazine.

5.1.2 Earlier this year, we identified potential under claiming of Tax Credits and to promote take up, we issued a press release that resulted in an article in local newspapers. Newspapers have also run articles promoting forthcoming advice surgeries.

5.1.3 Because of the newspaper coverage, two local radio stations have interviewed the Benefit Unit's Welfare Visiting Officer.

5.1.4 The Benefit Unit will make use of the talking newspaper.

5.2 Website

5.2.1 The Benefit Unit's area on the Council Website contains extensive information about Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Discretionary Housing Payments and other benefits managed by the Department for Work and Pensions.

5.2.2 Customers can download the Housing and Council Tax Benefit Claim form and our complete range of benefit leaflets.

5.2.3 In November 2003, we aim to add an interactive Benefits Calculator to the website. This will enable people to work out how much Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit they would be likely to receive.

5.2.4 We will regularly update the website to provide information to prospective claimants.

5.3 Posters, leaflets and promoting benefit availability

5.3.1 We will continue to provide information on claiming Housing Benefit in the Council Tenants Handbook.

5.3.2 We ensure Council Tax payers are aware of Council Tax Benefit through promotion in the leaflet that accompanies their bill.

5.3.3 We will routinely provide information to claimants who say they intend to start work or are considering doing so. This information will be on eligibility for in-work benefits and tax credits, and delivered through leaflets or referrals to DWP/Jobcentre Plus or local sources of independent welfare rights advice.

5.3.4 In recovering overpaid Housing Benefit we will routinely advise debtors of benefit availability.

5.3.5 In promoting take up we have introduced leaflets to tell people of the potential benefits available. We will continue to update these leaflets in line with legislative changes and will consider expanding the range available on the introduction of alternative sources of help.

5.3.6 In supplementing our leaflets, we order and keep a varied stock of leaflets and information produced by the Department for Work and Pensions.

5.3.7 We ensure our leaflets are available from Deane House, the Wellington Community Office, the Citizens Advice Bureau, Shelter, various RSLs and Halcon and Priorswood Community Offices.

5.3.8 We have designed a new poster with advice in Bengali and Chinese about accessing a translation service when visiting Housing Benefits Reception. We will use this translation as an attachment on existing leaflets.

5.4 Networking and liaison

5.4.1 In encouraging more people to claim, we need to recognise equality and diversity issues to maximise the income of disadvantaged/minority groups in the borough. The Benefits Unit has set up contact with various local voluntary and charitable groups in the borough.

5.4.2 These groups have been keen to offer their advice and help and can be useful in referring people to the Benefits Unit. In terms of take up, information exchange is important. Several groups have expressed an interest in advice sessions on various aspects of Housing and Council Tax Benefit legislation.

5.4.3 The groups contacted deal with certain vulnerable groups identified as under claiming benefit, such as:  

• Learning Voices (Ethnic Minorities projects)  
• Age Concern  
• Somerset Association for the Blind  
• British Legion  
• SAFA  
• Peace of Mind Day Project  
• NHS Patient Advice and Liaison Service  
• Rethink
  

5.4.4 Church Groups have been receptive to learning more about Housing and Council Tax Benefit and could be useful with referrals.

5.4.5 Social Services are keen to work in partnership with the Benefits Unit.

5.4.6 The Rural Regeneration Officer has already proved helpful in setting up contact with the rural community. The Agricultural Development Officer has been keen to identify potential claims for Council Tax Benefit within the farming community.

5.4.7 The Corporate Youth Officer has useful contacts with groups working with young people e.g. staff from the Benefits Unit contributed to an advice session for young people at Taunton Lifeskills that was favourably received. We intend to continue the initiative with various advice sessions on a frequent basis.

5.4.8 Continuing liaison with the Community Initiatives Officer and the North Taunton Community Participation Officer will be useful in promoting benefits in the more deprived areas.

5.5 Partnership working

5.5.1 The Benefit Unit will work in partnership with Housing's Debt and Benefit Advisor to maximise take up of Housing Benefit from Council Tenants. We will ensure we provide advice on Housing and Council Tax Benefit when the tenant signs up for the tenancy.

5.5.2 Our colleagues in the Revenues Unit already provide advice on benefits. Staff in the Benefits Unit promote Single Person Discounts and Exemptions that may apply to Council Tax liabilities.

5.5.3 We have a good working relationship with the local Citizen's Advice Bureau (CAB). Visits carried out by the Benefits Unit have identified potential claims for other national welfare benefits. As a result, the CAB has gained £35,000 for customers because of referrals made by the Benefits Unit. The CAB also welcome the opportunity to accept clients referred through an interview at the forthcoming Housing and Council Tax Benefit advice surgeries.

5.5.4 Our liaison arrangements with Jobcentre Plus and the Pension Service enable partnership working in promoting the various benefits delivered by our joint services.

5.5.5 Service Level Agreements with Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) stipulate the need for promoting Housing and Council Tax Benefit for their tenants. We provide basic benefits training to RSL staff. In return they give out our claims forms and leaflets and will work in partnership with us in targeted take up campaigns in future.

5.5.6 Care Direct will accept clients referred by the Benefits Unit. They will provide information and help to claim Attendance Allowance and other welfare benefits specifically targeting help for older people.

5.6 Advice surgeries

5.6.1 The Benefits Unit will hold a series of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit advice surgeries across the borough. The surgeries will take place in Village Halls and Community Centres to enable people to gain access to information and advice in a local setting about potential claims for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

5.6.2 We may extend surgeries to promote take up by specific groups e.g. Somerset Association of the Blind have offered the use of their facilities. The benefit of holding surgeries for specific groups can be seen in the results of Somerset Welfare Rights Unit (part of the Citizen's Advice Bureau) where £5M was obtained in 4 years by focusing on benefit claims from people who were physically disabled or had sensory or visual impairment.

5.6.3 Venues for future surgeries that we are considering are Somerset College of Art and Technology and local libraries. The link between ill health and poverty has been widely accepted and holding an advice surgery in a Health Centre may be well worthwhile.

5.7 Home visits

5.7.1 The Benefit Unit's verification visiting officers currently visit people who are ill or disabled and are unable to get to the Council Offices. Home visits are integral to any take up strategy and are an ideal opportunity to give information to clients face-to-face in a familiar environment.

5.8 Monitoring effectiveness of take up

5.8.1 It is important to follow up the progress of every claim. Benefit computer records will form part of this monitoring. Phone calls and home visits to customers may be appropriate if there is a failure to take up available benefits.

5.8.2 It is also important to monitor the impact take up has on resources. Smaller services can only provide limited back up and there may be a need to consider implications of an increased workload for other organisations such as Citizen's Advice Bureau. It will be important to monitor take up at advice surgeries.

5.8.3 It is essential we monitor the outcome of take up work. We will keep a log at advice surgeries of every contact. We will follow this up to find out how many claims are subsequently made. Regular reports will detail the value and number of benefits gained.

Take up action