COURSE CONTENT
Learners will experience a range of classroom teaching methods including group-working, case studies and both individual and group presentations.
Traditional teaching is supported by a virtual learning environment that is used to host a range of electronic supporting materials.
Assessment is provided by a mix of coursework / verbal examination / written examination and feedback will be provided to the learner and the employer.
Data Protection
- The principles of Data Protection (GDPR compliance)
- Disclosure of data
State Benefits
- Overview of state benefits scheme
- Means tested/non-means tested benefits
- Basic rules for claiming benefits and Tax / Pension Credits
- Total Benefit Cap
- Help and advice for claimants
Sources of information
Making a claim
- The application form
- Customer Management System
- When and where claims may be made
- Pensioner claims
Date of claim
- Standard claims
- Passport claims
- New liability
- Entitlement date
- Backdating
Occupation and Liability
- Liability to pay rent
- Persons treated as not liable to pay
- Occupation as a home
- Benefits on two homes
- Absence from home
- Contrived rent liabilities and non-commercial agreements
Rent
- Housing Benefit or Local Housing Allowance?
- Liability to pay rent
- Eligible / ineligible services
- Maximum rent
- Rent Restrictions
- Rent officer determinations
- Size criteria
- Broad rental market areas
- Applying the LHA
- Payment on Account
Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy
- Under occupation
- Percentage reductions
- Foster carers
- Temporary absence from home i.e. students / armed forces
- Protection from the reduction / DHP
- Second Adult Rebate
Capital
- What is capital?
- Tariff income
- Valuation of capital
- Pensioners
Income
- Income support and JSA(IB)
- Unearned income
- Pension Credit
- Tax Credits
- Earnings and disregards
- Childcare costs
Household and applicable amounts
- Household composition
- Civil partnerships
- Applicable amounts
- Non-dependants and deductions
Evidence and supporting information
- Interventions
- Identity and NI number
- Evidence of income, rent, changes of circumstance, etc.
- How evidence is requested
Final calculation of benefits
Payment of HB / LHA
- How and who we pay
- 8 weeks arrears and disputes
- Advance or arrears payments
- Safeguards for LHA claimants
- Deductions from payments
- Shortfall of benefit
- Discretionary housing payments
Suspending Payments
- Suspension and stopping payments
Change in circumstances
- Revision/Supersession
- Change of address / liability frequency / rental amount
- Death of claimant
- Starting work and extended payments
- Non-dependents
- LHA changes
Pensioner rules
Overpayments of benefit
- Period and calculation of overpayment
- Classifying the overpayment
- Underlying entitlement and offsetting
- Recoverability and choosing from whom to recover
- How to recover overpayments
Decisions, notifications and appeals
- Disputes and reconsiderations
- Appeals
Fraud
- Types of fraud / indicators