Regarding benefits, there is a 6.7 percent increase, aligning with September’s inflation figures. This translates to an average enhancement of £470 for approximately 5.5 million households. Originally, ministers contemplated utilizing October’s inflation figure of 4.6 percent, potentially saving £3 billion but adversely impacting nine million households amidst the escalating cost of living. In addition, LHA…
Category: Policy and Strategy
Monday Discussion Group 20th November 2023 Veterans, Inflation and Rent CVs
In our Monday meeting, we had an insightful discussion about the Veteran’s Support Scheme, initiated by Robert Fox. It was interesting to note that this topic hadn’t been addressed previously. Our conversation revealed an overlooked demographic in our data analysis. We identified several existing veteran support initiatives, notably at the county level, yet observed a…
The UK Inflation Landscape: A Fragile Equilibrium and Looming Energy Bill Concerns
The UK’s inflation scenario presents a complex picture of stability amidst volatility, marked by continued price rises at a consistent rate and significant contributions from persistent high petrol and diesel costs. Notably, for the first time since September 2021, food and non-alcoholic drink prices have shown a decrease, including specific declines in the prices of…
Reforming Council Tax Reduction Schemes
The Government didn’t make life easy for local authorities when council tax reduction schemes were introduced in 2013. Local authorities were not given much time to prepare the way, so it was unsurprising that most schemes followed the default regulations and ended up very similar to Council Tax Benefit. Local authorities in England were also…
Monday 23/10/23 Credit Unions
This week, our Monday Revenues and Benefits Discussion Group had a great conversation about the fantastic work being done by the Bradford District Credit Union and its partners, including the Revenues and Benefits team at Bradford Council. Ian Brewer from BDCU led the discussion, and it covered a wide range of topics. One key point…
How we are working with Local Authorities to improve welfare service delivery
Manu Peleteiro Co-founder at Inbest Local Authorities play a pivotal role in administering benefits, emergency grants, and vital welfare services. They are at the forefront of supporting their vulnerable residents during the Cost-of-Living crisis – and now the looming mortgage crisis. However, ensuring all residents receive their rightful entitlements presents the following challenges: Consequently, a staggering…
Monday Discussion Regarding the State of Fraud Risks
In our recent Monday discussion group, we delved into the question of whether fraud has become a diminished risk, warranting less concern than in previous years. This intriguing subject sparked a comprehensive dialogue, enriched by the examination of contemporary statistical data. The figures indicate a moderate decrease in various forms of fraud—including benefit, insurance, and…
Analyzing August 2023 Inflation Data: A Comparative Study of CPIH and CPI
Introduction Inflation remains a significant topic of economic and political discussions, as it can impact various aspects of a nation’s well-being. In this article, we provide a cautious examination of the inflation rates of CPIH (Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs) and CPI (Consumer Prices Index) for August 2023. We also look into…
Monday 4/9/23 Discussion Group – Segmentation, CTR & Budget Constraints
I am pleased to announce that following a brief hiatus in August, the Monday Discussion Group reconvened on September 4th. Our session featured two principal topics that naturally coalesced into a unified discussion. We initially explored the topic of cost-of-living segmentation, drawing on research published by Which? Magazine. Our conversation evolved into an inquiry into…
The Escalating Crisis of Homeless Relocations: Why Councils Need to Rethink Their Strategies
A Crisis Bigger Than We Thought Recent data unearthed by a Freedom of Information (FoI) request, backed by research from Nottingham University and The Guardian, has set off alarm bells across England. The issue at hand is the concerning rate at which councils are relocating homeless families—often hundreds of miles away from their original homes….