Zero Hours Contracts- JSA claimants won't be expected to apply for zero hours contract jobs. In a policy change, under Universal Credit, the government has said that ''We expect claimants to do all they reasonably can to look for and move into paid work. If a claimant turns down a particular vacancy (including zero-hours contract jobs) a sanction may be applied, but we will look into the circumstances of the case and consider whether they had a good reason.' Guardian 5/5/2014
Universal Credit claims are currently being taken in ten pathfinder areas. The government is talking to Local Authorities to begin further roll out in the North West this year- 'Salford City Council, Wirral Borough Council, Preston City Council, St Helens Borough Council, Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council, Trafford Borough Council, Bolton Borough Council, Bury Borough Council, South Ribble Borough Council, Sefton Borough Council and Knowsley Borough Council.
Universal Credit Housing Costs- Most claims do not have Alternative Payment Arrangements- Some of the changes in the pathfinder areas(National Housing Federation)-
setting up a dedicated team in the Service Centre to manage housing and Alternative Payment Arrangement (APA) cases
provision of single point of contact details to local authorities/ social landlords through a dedicated phone line;
• a new dedicated external e-mail address for social landlords, enabling them to escalate request for Alternative Payment Arrangements, and deductions for arrears in cases where they are considering formal pre-eviction action;
• seconding a local authority housing benefit expert to the Universal Credit ServiceCentre;
• setting up a dedicated network of named contacts within in each local authority within current Live Running Sites and North West areas which commence in June 2014. See our Universal Credit 2014 course (next in Cardiff 6/10/2014, Exeter 7/10/2014, London 8/10/2014, Manchester on 13/10/2014, Birmingham 14/10/2014)