Benefits for rent (Scotland), 8 – 9 March 2023 ONLINE

Annually - in normal times - around two thousand tenants in Scotland are evicted by social landlords for rent arrears, with an unrecorded number of private tenants. Many of these arrears can be traced back to issues about housing benefit (HB) and the housing costs element of universal credit (UC) and arrears are a growing problem as people move from HB to UC. This practical course is aimed at housing workers and advisers who need to understand how to manage UC to minimise arrears and reduce the threat of eviction and how to maximise and retain HB where possible.  

The course covers: 

• Migrating to UC or staying on HB, including the mixed-age couple rules 
• Where entitlement in UC or HB can be missed or disputed including rules on temporary absence, two homes, non-dependants 
• Overpayments of HB and UC and recovery from landlords and tenants 
• UC assessment period issues and the effect of deductions on the UC housing costs element  

This ‘one-day equivalent’ course is aimed at those with a working knowledge of HB and UC. 

The course will be delivered online via Zoom from 10am to 1pm each day with a half hour break from 11.15 – 11.45. 

It is a practical course, delivered using a combination of trainer presentation, exercises and group discussion. Participants will need a Wi-Fi connection and a suitable device to access the internet. It is not recommended to join via a mobile phone. 

Participants will receive an email a few days before the start of the course, with a link to the event hosted on our AskCPAG elearning platform.