SFHA Launches UC Case Study Template
There has for some time run monthly surveys of of members in an attempt to gauge the impact of Universal Credit on housing association and cooperatives and their tenants. It is now additionally asking members to provide case studies where there have been significant issues in the way individual cases have been dealt with.
Policy Advisor Jeremy Hewer explained
"The Child Poverty Action Group has been operating something similar for its supporters - the Early Warning System - that enables them to raise issues that individual claimants have had with the system. CPAG have then been able to use this information to inform and support its representations to Government.
"We wanted to do something similar, as members have given us examples of when the systems does not work the way it should, or it does work the way it has been designed, but in doing so falls short of what it needs to do to ensure a claimant gets the help and support they need and should expect.
If members can provide us with cases - especially as we soon will be having managed migration of more vulnerable claimants, we can add this to the picture of the overall impact of| UC, gleaned from the monthly surveys, to make a stronger case for the amendment of processes and even policy."
SFHA members can provide their case studies by completing SFHA's case study template and sending this to SFHA Research Officer Janine Mckenna at jmckenna@sfha.co.uk. It is hoped that an online reporting facility will be available shortly.