BRISTOL ADVICE CONFERENCEPAUL TRELOAR2nd DECEMBER 2015

Introduction

• Life after legal aid with welfare reforms• Advice service models of delivery• Where now for specialist support?• Challenges • Responses• Questions?

LASPO 2013• When legal aid for welfare benefits was in

scope, matter starts were as follows:• 2010-11 - 121,128 • 2011-12 - 110,745 • 2012-13 - 88,378• LASPO Bill defeated numerous times in Lords

but eventually passed and implemented from April 2013

Life post-LASPO

• 436 Welfare Benefits Matter Starts during 2014• 2 Judicial Review applications granted• 1 Exceptional Case Funding (for ADR v SSWP

CIS/1288/2012 (Upper Tribunal (Administrative Appeals Chamber)))

• So legal aid scheme for welfare benefits has become marginal to point of extinction

Local authority cuts

• Unison estimates that local authorities have seen cuts of £11.3bn by 2015/16

• Additionally, extra responsibilities have been placed upon them, especially in relation to council tax reduction schemes, local welfare assistance schemes, and discretionary housing payments

• Many LA WRU’s closed, and frontline service losing funding partially or completely

Welfare reforms driving demand

• Legacy benefits – JSA/ESA/IS/HB/CTC/WTC• Universal credit – roll-out???• DLA PIP• Localism• Welfare Reform and Work Bill• Tax Credits??!!

Reduced benefit cap impacts

Perfect storm

Advice service models

• Face-to-face – open door or appointment only• Systems thinking – does it work?• Role of:

– Outreach – Telephone– Email– Online

• May provide some help but F-2-F still crucial

Challenges

• Complexity – how to understand the system?• Confusion – what rules and entitlements

apply?• Discretion and localism• Debt and destitution – rise in foodbanks• Cuts of funding

How to respond?

• Online – opportunities against risks• Supporting frontline advisers and others• Partnerships – existing and new• New approaches to £££’s• Sharing information• Local liaison with DWP, JCP, LA, HMRC etc• Keep on keeping on

Questions?

• Over to you

CPAG TRAINING

CPAG’s experience in the welfare rights field is unrivalled and this is reflected in the quality of our training. Our courses cover all aspects of welfare benefits, tax credits and the welfare rights system. We run a variety of courses throughout the year at venues across the UK, including Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Newcastle.Please keep an eye on our website as new training dates and locations are added throughout the year.

www.cpag.org.uk/training

All of CPAG’s courses can be delivered ‘in-house’ on a date and at a venue to suit you.Providing a course in-house can be more cost-effective – saving on time, travel and accommodation costs. We provide the expert tutor(s) and all the training materials required.

CPAG PUBLICATIONS

We publish a wide range of expert titles to help you keep up-to-date with the ever-changing world of social security and benefits.

Must-have new titles and editions this year include:• Our fully revised and updated Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook• A new edition of our now-annual Benefits for Migrants Handbook• A new edition in our popular and accessible ‘essentials’ series: Universal Credit: What you

need to know

We also sell a selection of books published by other organisations, which we feel are particularly useful to our members and customers.

Visit our bookshop: www.cpag.org.uk/bookshop

Please feel free to email us with any enquiries: bookorders@cpag.org.uk

CPAG ADVICE LINE

CPAG advice line for advisers

Tel: 020 7812 5231Monday to Friday

10am – 12pm 2pm - 4pm

For more information on our advice service please visit www.cpag.org.uk/advisers