Category: General

This week’s discussion covered a range of interlinked subject areas. Local Elections Impact We began by discussing the impact of the local elections. While detailed results were not revisited, the focus was on potential strategic changes in local authorities. Robert noted stability in his area following a significant shift last year when Labour took over….

This Monday, we had an engaging session featuring a presentation by Julie Maycock on the Revenues and Benefits Apprentice Scheme. Our discussion also touched on the challenges of an aging workforce and the need for career progression that appeals to young talent. Apprenticeships are proving to be vital tools in developing our future teams in…

This week, we had an insightful conversation about the new report from Policy in Practice titled “Missing Out”. We were joined by one of the report’s authors, Deven Ghelani. We delved into the key findings of the report, which revealed that the total amount of unclaimed income-related benefits and social tariffs now stands at £22.7…

Last Monday, we had an engaging discussion about Universal Credit and its role in the welfare system, sparked by a report from Alex Clegg of the Resolution Foundation, who often contributes to the Visionary Network Panel. The report shows that 71% of families eligible for Universal Credit or previous benefits were financially worse off with…

Introduction The recent exposure and successful prosecution of the largest benefit fraud case in England and Wales involving five individuals who defrauded the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) of £53.9 million highlights significant systemic failures. While the successful legal action might seem like a victory, it essentially underscores deeper issues in preventive measures, resource…

Last Monday, we had a chat about the HB Subsidy Administration Grant. Many of us feel that this grant now covers less than half the actual cost of running the system, especially since we’re increasingly dealing with more complex cases that are pricier to manage. We also touched on how Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) are…

Last Monday, we had a comprehensive chat that started with our household budget and our plans for it over the next six months. We shared lots of ideas and opinions on this topic before shifting our focus to the new Council Tax rules for second homes and how different councils might react to these changes….

Hi everyone, Last Monday, we had a discussion about the latest DHP survey results reported this week, which didn’t really surprise anyone. Still, everyone agreed it’s good to have those findings clearly laid out. It’s worth mentioning, though, that this survey was done a few years back. Despite that, it made a solid case for…

Hi everyone, Hey there! Just a heads up that our next AI workshop is happening this coming Wednesday at 11:00 AM. It’s our second one this year and looks like it’s going to be super interesting. We’ve got Richard Hanby talking about how AI and automation can boost revenue and benefits, and Simon Goldstone showing…

On Monday, we revisited our chat about the implications of prioritising statutory services over non-statutory ones. We highlighted concerns raised by domestic abuse organisations, who warn that reducing their funding will significantly cut the support they can provide. We also noted that support for special education has become so restricted that it’s starting to draw…