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In this issue:
- CSJ calls for a 13.3% increase to UC based on new analysis by Policy in Practice
- Identifying and supporting Just About Managing households using data
- Join our free webinar: How to identify and support Just About Managing households using data
- LIFT community workshop talks about JAMs
- Stephen Timms discusses local councils' work on improving financial resilience
- £1.7 billion of unclaimed Pension Credit: see how much your local authority could gain
- Webinar recap: How to maximise unclaimed Pension Credit take up
- Webinar recap: Migrating to Universal Credit during the cost of living crisis
- In the news: talking about policy responses to the cost of living crisis
- Upcoming events: see you there
- Shortlists announced for PFA Awards 2022
- August's blog posts
- People news and we're hiring a Policy and Research Director and Marketing Manager
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CSJ calls for a 13.3% increase to Universal Credit, to rise by a further 8.5% in January, based on new analysis by Policy in Practice
Policy in Practice analysed data from over 114,000 low-income households to determine the best course of action amidst the energy crisis. Our analysis for the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has been shared with the next Prime Minister and shows that increasing Universal Credit in October will ease the effects of the upcoming energy price rises.
Increasing Universal Credit by 13.3% in October means that support will be proportional to household size, making it better targeted than flat rate support.
The government must also do more to help middle-income households and small businesses. The impact of the unprecedented rise in energy costs is being felt across the board.
This week and next we publish a series of blog posts detailing our analysis.
Read the full CSJ reportRead our first blog post
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Identifying and supporting Just About Managing households using data
We have partnered with Experian to bring their Financial Resilience and Safeguarding models into LIFT. These models use Mosaic postcode level data from across the UK and use over 25 different measures.
With this data, LIFT users can get richer insights on:
- Low income households that you already know about
- Households that are Just about Managing (JAMs) that you don’t already know about
This extra data gives more information on households across living costs, work and skills, and public health.
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Join our free webinar: How to identify and support Just About Managing households using data
Wednesday 21 September 10:30-11:45am
We will be joined by Jane Worrell, Revenues and Benefits Senior Specialist at Folkestone and Hythe District Council to discuss:
- 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
Register for our webinar here
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LIFT community workshop talks about JAMs
The focus was on JAMs in our August LIFT community workshop where we looked at:
- The impacts so far of the cost of living crisis
- JAM households and how we can better support them
- Partnership with Experian to bring Mosaic data to LIFT
- Employment campaigns through LIFT looking at childcare costs, TA move ons, Ben Cap and NEETs
View the LIFT Community workshop slides
Find out more about LIFT
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Stephen Timms discusses local councils' work on improving financial resilience
This month we welcomed Sir Stephen Timms, Chair of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, to Policy in Practice. We discussed Universal Credit and the excellent efforts councils we work with are doing to protect residents and improve financial resilience. We also talked about steps the DWP can take to make managed migration a success that leaves more people better off.
We were asked for our views on using local authority data to assess entitlement to Pension Credit. We will be highlighting the incredible results achieved by local authorities using their administrative data to run successful Pension Credit campaigns. Let us know if you would be happy for us to highlight your work.
Read how Gravesham District Council helped pensioners secure over £184,000 in unclaimed Pension Credit
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Message from the DWP on Pension CreditAs a result of the DWP's campaign to increase take-up of Pension Credit, they have received a large volume of claims. This has caused delays for some people.
The DWP stress that they want everyone who thinks they are eligible for Pension Credit to continue to put in a claim. They have outlined the measures they have in place to deal with the increased number of claims.
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Webinar
recap: How to maximise unclaimed Pension Credit take up
DWP estimates that up to one million pensioners, around a third of all those who are eligible, are missing out on unclaimed Pension Credit. This equates to £1.7 billion of benefits that could be worth around £3,300 for an individual pensioner household.
Listen back to hear
- Why a focus on tackling pensioner poverty is now needed
- The value
of unclaimed Pension Credit and number of households not claiming, by local authority area
- How Islington Council has boosted the incomes of pensioners in its area
"Some of our residents
assumed that because they received a state pension that was all they were entitled to. We came across some people who were living on just £70 or £80 state pension a week."
Sarah Gamble, Income Maximisation Officer, Islington Council
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Webinar recap: Migrating to Universal Credit during the cost of living crisis
Listen back to our recent webinar to hear:
- Background to managed migration and the current context
- What transitional protection is and who should wait for it to be offered
- Practical actions advisors and organisations can take
With guest speakers Michelle Birley, Customer Support Manager, The Guinness Partnership and Graeme Connor, Chief Analyst, DWP
Listen back here
Areas where managed migration has begun
This month the London Borough of Harrow went live with managed migration, following on from Truro and Falmouth in July, and Bolton and Medway in May.
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| In the news: talking about policy responses to the cost of living crisis
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GB News, 11 August
Deven Ghelani,
Director and Founder of Policy in Practice, spoke to GB News about the cost of living crisis, and how Universal Credit is a key factor in getting financial help to those who need it.
View our appearance here
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GB News, 29 August
Alex Clegg, Senior Data and Policy Analyst at Policy in Practice, joined GB News to discuss the energy price crisis, and how the new Prime Minister could best
help households who are facing fuel poverty.
View our appearance here
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Upcoming events: see you there
We are pleased to be exhibiting at the following events:
- Employment and Skills Annual Conference, Birmingham on Tuesday 13 September
- IRRV Scotland, Crieff on Wednesday 14 to Thursday 15 September
- LACEF, Bristol on Thursday 22 September
We are attending:
- Utility Week's Consumer Vulnerability Conference on Tuesday 13 September
We are looking forward to discussing our upcoming Better Off Calculator updates, such as integrating API and creating social tariffs for water companies
- Labour Party Conference, Liverpool on Sunday 25 - Wednesday 28 September
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| Shortlist announced for PFA Awards 2022
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We are excited to announce that two of our clients are shortlisted for Public Finance Awards 2022.
Congratulations to:
- Islington Council shortlisted for Digital Finance Project of the Year for their Pension Credit take-up campaign
- Stephen Gunther, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council shortlisted for Aligned Public Service Delivery with MAST
We are also thrilled that Policy in Practice has been shortlisted for Solutions Partner of the Year.
We have our fingers crossed and are looking forward to the ceremony on 29 November.
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August’s blog posts
What you need to know about your energy bill and the cap
We breakdown a household’s energy bill to understand the role of the energy cap and the options available to tackle fuel poverty.
Read blog post
How the housing crisis has deepened the cost of living crisis
The ongoing housing crisis is often overlooked when discussing the current cost of living crisis yet, for most, housing is the highest cost.
Read blog post
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People news and jobs
We say hello and extend a very warm welcome to the new members of the team:
- Jon Taylor, Business Account Executive
- Clemence Leandri, Policy and Data Analyst
- Rory Ewan, Policy and Data Analyst
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We are currently recruiting for:
If you share our passion for using data and technology to change lives, we'd love
to hear from you.
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