Terms & Conditions

[fran]

I’ve read today that a report from a project looking at the future of CTB is imminent. Can anyone tell me what this is about?

[seanosul]

[quote:a00e7314b2]I’ve read today that a report from a project looking at the future of CTB is imminent. Can anyone tell me what this is about?[/quote:a00e7314b2]

As Michael Lyons is reviewing Council Tax, CTB will fall under the remit.

http://www.odpm.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1122802

[andyrichards]

I believe there has been talk of drastically simplifying the CTB claiming process, in particular for pensioners. I heard that they are toying with the idea of just giving it to anyone qualifying for Guarantee Credit without the need for any separate application. Has anyone else heard this or did I dream it? Sounds eminently sensible to me although I do not how it would work in practice

[Kevin D]

Sounds like a possible return to “certificated” CTB. Nice to see the DWP “progressing” to something that, generally, worked pretty well pre 1988. Simple really: DWP send certficate to LA; LA pay benefit. The end (well, almost…).

Must have taken several committees to have thought that one up….. 😈

Now, just as another brand new idea, if they could also call the certificate “A359″……

Regards

[markp]

Kevin,

Even sadder!!

Somewhere I probably have the orininal DHSS (yes DHSS!!) notes regarding this!

Do I know what I'm doing? The jury's out on that........................

[RobBox]

Many moons ago, in another life at the DHSS, I can remeber A359’s, A359(IP) and A360’s. I can also remember that if there was something that you forgot to do on an assessement, it was to send the L/A those forms!

[Anonymous]

So it was you RobBox who didn’t tell us who and when to pay!! 😈 😉

Though we’ll see in time about the above, I’m thinking of opening a book. 8) 8)

Any bets on the return of Housing Benefit Supplement (and I know you are just pretending….. a lot of you do remember!!) 😯 😀 8)

[jmembery]

I believe the intention is even wider than that.
When Paul Howeth came to our benchmarking meeting he was talking about CTB not needing to be claimed at all.

The idea was that between us the DWP, IR and LAs should hold sufficient information to enable everybody’s possible entitlement to CTB to be automatically calculated.

No further details though, how notifying changes in circumstances, potential fraud etc would be dealt with was not discussed.

[Carol Meredith]

Crystal balls will be standard issue then will they?

[Anonymous]

Jon, no, arrgh! HBS?

When I was a wee boy assessing Supplementary Benefit claims, HBS was the very, very last thing that we did. After new claims, changes of circs, case cleaning, stats counting and anything else, we would rather have done the filing, or even linking post, than work on HBS.

And Rob, if only we knew what those A359s actually meant at the other end. Do you think we would have stayed at the DHSS?

Darren

[andyrichards]

How on earth would you explain HBS to anyone not around at the time?

[Anonymous]

Andy –
With great difficulty – as I used to do at the time!! 😳 8) 😯 😀

On a serious note, I wouldn’t put too much store on what you hear at the moment. Until the report is written on how local government is going to be financed, how can you decide how you are going to work out rebates for it? 😕 8)

Unless Mick Lyons (sorry, it’s Sir Michael now) is going to post on this board – now that really would be a SCOOP!! 😯

[Author]

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