Terms & Conditions

[Stalbansbenefits]

Just posted this on glasscubes but I would be interested in people's thoughts.

Can anyone explain to me the legislative background which means WURTI information can't be used for recovery of Housing Benefit debts, specifically attachment of earnings.

My understanding is most of the data sharing arrangements come via the Social Security Administration Act 1992, which talks about the sharing of information being permitted 'for use in the administration of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit' and I understood that the phrase 'administration of Housing Benefit' included the recovery of Housing Benefit debts.

If this is the case, it would seem odd that we can use WURTI for any other aspect of Housing Benefit administration but not debt recovery. 

If we can't use this info (for whatever reason), does it also mean that if we get an RTI file which causes an overpayment and benefit to cease, we shouldn't be using details of the employer as detailed on this RTI file to request attachment of earnings? Do we have to pretend we don't know who the employer is….?  

[mcmahow]

I'm actually just perplexed by it all…with overpayments rising faster than we can say DEA, surely this needs to be an option that we can use as an aid to recovering overpayments going forward!! 

Maybe that's the plan for the HB Debt Services Project??? 

Wendy

[Paul Jones]

St Albans

Can I ask who has told you that you cannot use it to recover overpayments ? 

[Stalbansbenefits]

It is in the training notes:

RTI data cannot be used for:

HB debt tracing
LCTR only cases
For Non-Dependents

[Debbie Wake]

we were told its a legal issue that needs resolving over data sharing but is something that DWP and HMRC are looking to resolve, no date given for this though

[deh050]

We had a letter from Paul Selby HDD dated 19 Sept addressed to LA Rev & Ben managers which mentioned HB Debt Service Project that would be offered from March 2018

It sounds like we will be able to use this to undertake debt recovery action There are few other details but

 'A new service at no cost to LA ' and goes on to explain

'This involves matching Housing Benefit debtor information with real time personal and employment data from HMRC. This data is to be made available for local authorities to undertake debt recovery action.

We will be writing out to all local authorities in due course with further information on the results of the Private Beta and more detailed plans for implementation of the interim tool for recovery of debt stock'.

[Stalbansbenefits]

Yes, we have seen this letter, but it doesn't really answer why we can't currently use the WURTI service.

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