Researchers examined variations between local authorities in the achievement of performance standards for the delivery of housing benefit and council tax benefit.
Source: Michelle Boath, Victoria Hogg and Helen Wilkinson, Benefits Administration Performance, Research Report 465, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Date: 2007-Nov
A report examined how local authorities performed against the new output-based target for housing benefit administration, based on numbers of reductions in benefit processed. The highest-performing authorities generally paid particular attention to educating claimants, to making new claimants aware of their responsibility to report changes in their circumstances.
Source: Michelle Boath and Helen Wilkinson, Achieving Good Reporting of Changes in Circumstances, Research Report 457, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Date: 2007-Oct
A report by a committee of MPs said that perceptions of the legitimacy of council tax were more likely to be undermined if there were not an effective mechanism in place to alleviate the financial burden it placed on low-income households. It called on the government to take action as matter of urgency to address the restrictive nature of the rules governing council tax benefit, as well as to increase take-up among all eligible low-income households.
Source: Local Government Finance: Council Tax Benefit, Eighth Report (Session 2006-07), HC 718, House of Commons Communities and Local Government Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | LGA press release | LGIU press release | Liberal Democrats press release | BBC report
Date: 2007-Aug
An article examined the extent to which national and local government in England was meeting the requirements of race relations legislation in the area of means-tested housing and council tax benefits. Given the evidence for continuing differentials in the incomes of people from minority ethnic groups, prompt action was needed to ensure that race equality was mainstreamed in benefit administration.
Source: Peter Aspinall, 'Are English local authorities' practices on housing and council tax benefit administration meeting race equality requirements?', Critical Social Policy, Volume 27 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Jul
A new book examined whether income-related housing allowance schemes in advanced welfare states were a more efficient way to help tenants than rent controls or 'bricks and mortar' subsidies to landlords.
Source: Peter Kemp (ed.), Housing Allowances in Comparative Perspective, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-Jun
A survey examined claimants? views and experiences of housing benefit payment, in the context of their household budgeting and attitudes to rent paying. Claimants who had HB paid directly to the landlord generally wanted to keep that arrangement. Some of the claimants who were anxious about paying rent in full were concerned about the 'hassle' this would involve (such as depositing HB giros in the bank). A minority of young people and families were worried about using the HB money for other things.
Source: Annie Irvine, Peter Kemp and Katharine Nice, Direct Payment of Housing Benefit: What do claimants think?, Chartered Institute of Housing (024 7685 1700) for Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Date: 2007-May
A paper examined the links between eligible rents, housing benefit, and work incentives. The characteristics of the claimant and the job choice they made also interacted and determined whether or not the financial gain to work was high enough to induce a move into employment. People's perceptions of how housing benefit operated in work, however, limited its effectiveness as an in-work benefit.
Source: Angelina Cannizzaro, Impacts of Rents on Housing Benefit and Work Incentives, Working Paper 38, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Working paper
Date: 2007-Mar
