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      Software          Analytics          Policy          Blog          Events          About
Latest analysis, policy news and updates from Policy in Practice
In this issue
  • Commentary: Universal Credit is the next big test for ‘Hostile Environment’ immigration policies
  • Award nominations for our Benefit & Budgeting Calculator and data project on Low Income Londoners
  • Join our Research findings: Low Income Londoners event with Theo Blackwell
  • Tackling homelessness with Newcastle City Council and Luton Borough Council
  • Working with ethical enforcement agencies to support vulnerable households
  • Upcoming events, blog posts and new team members
Universal Credit is the next test for ‘Hostile Environment’ immigration policies
Hostile environment immigration policies mean that low income families must pass the Habitual Residency Test by 2022 to claim Universal Credit.

Our policy analysis finds that:

  • Universal Credit Work Coaches will be responsible for applying Home Office immigration policy
  • Current benefit claimants will have to prove their citizenship or immigration status to move to Universal Credit
  • The 2011 census found that 9 million people don’t have a passport
  • Current problems with GOV.UK/Verify mean that only around a third of Universal Credit applicants can verify their identity online

Our analysis was widely covered in the media including The Sun, Daily Mail and Andrew Marr Show
See full details here
Pan-London data sharing work shortlisted for ERSA Employability Award
Policy in Practice has been shortlisted as a finalist for the ERSA Employability Awards 2018 in the Innovation category for our collaborative data sharing work across London councils.

The nomination recognises our work spanning 24 months, combining over 10 million data records from 19 London boroughs, following 575,000 low income households. We’ve looked at the changing living standards of 27% of the population in these boroughs and shown what can be revealed when local authorities collaborate with their data.

The ERSA Employability Awards celebrate best practice across the employment support sector. The Innovation award recognises a provider who has pioneered innovative approaches and solutions within the employment support market. The awards ceremony, on 14 June, will be attended by the Minister for Employment, Alok Sharma MP.

Read more here
Benefit and Budgeting Calculator shortlisted for HANA award 2018
Welfare reform and Universal Credit rollout challenge the financial resilience of tenants and the sustainability of their tenancies. Our clients also see the fresh opportunity to help their residents take positive steps towards independence.

We launched a new version of our Benefit and Budgeting Calculator in 2017 to take support to advisors and residents to another level. The feedback from experienced welfare and tenancy support officers was that the advice they, and less experienced colleagues, give needs to step up.

Shortlisted in the Best Use of Technology category for this year's HANA Awards, our calculator makes the welfare system easy for people to understand so they can make decisions that are right for them.

Read more here
Feedback from a client
Research findings: Low Income Londoners project finale
Trust for London is supporting Policy in Practice to track income, employment, poverty and the impact of welfare reforms on over half a million low income households across London.

Join us on Friday 25 May at 15:00 to 17:30 at our project finale event. We will showcase the findings of nearly 2 years of research using data from 19 London Boroughs, examining the living standards of low income Londoners.

The findings of the analysis will look at:
  • How the living standards of low-income Londoners have changed in the past two years
  • The different impact that welfare reform is having across the capital
  • The challenges that lie ahead for families on low incomes in London

We will also be joined by Theo Blackwell, Chief Digital Officer, Mayor's Office, who will talk about the Mayor's vision and strategy for London's smart city agenda, and why improving collaboration and innovation is key.

Register now
Practical ways to help vulnerable households deal with debt
Webinar: Practical ways to help vulnerable households deal with debt

Wednesday 23 May at 10:30 to 11:30
Can’t make the date? Register anyway to get the recording and slides

Hear about our award winning work with Phoenix to help vulnerable people deal with debt early, whilst improving collection processes and reducing costs.

More details and register here
Latest on demand webinar
Listen to this webinar recording to hear about our work to proactively tackle homelessness using local predictors, developed with household data.

Guest speaker, Claire Horton from Newcastle City Council, shared how they are using the dashboard to help meet the new requirements of the Homelessness Reduction Act.

Listen back to hear how Policy in Practice’s LIFT dashboard can help you tackle homelessness by:

  • identifying who may be at risk of homelessness
  • offering tailored messages to help you engage with those households
  • tracking what happens to those households over time

Listen to recording and view slides here
Forthcoming speaking engagements
Unconference: What can SME tech companies do to help Local Government keep the show on the road and protect vulnerable people?
Sleuth, Birmingham University, 11 May

Policy in Practice is pleased to support this event with the aim of connecting local government change agents with SME innovators and problem solvers. To meet others and collectively solve the difficulties and frustrations encountered when the public and private sector meet, or for more details, connect with Hilary.

Utility Week Live: Turning challenges into opportunities - complaint resolution and bad debt
Hall 12, Birmingham NEC, 22-23 May

Deven has been invited to speak about Understanding the debt landscape in the context of a rising Bank of England base rate in this panel session. He will discuss how utility companies can understand who may be at risk of debt and how vulnerable customers can be better supported by targeted help.

Find out more
Say hello to Megan
We're pleased to welcome Megan Mclean, who has joined us this month as our new Policy and Operations Intern. Megan holds an MA (Hons) in History and Politics from Edinburgh University. Following university, she spent two months volunteering in refugee camps in Northern France.

She is joining Policy in Practice with an enthusiasm to learn how to use data analysis to find potential improvements to social policy. When away from the office, she enjoys boxing and running.

View the full Policy in Practice team here


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