Case Study: Transitioning to Universal Credit for Single Parents.

Background:
Jenny is a single parent with three children aged 4, 6, and 8. She faced a challenging situation when she fled her home due to domestic violence. Instead of occupying allocated emergency accommodation, she chose to stay with family to maintain stability for her children. However, during this time, her Housing Benefit was suspended as she was unable to reply to official correspondence due to the trauma she had endured.

Challenges Faced:
Jenny's traumatic experience made it incredibly difficult for her to manage administrative affairs effectively. She needed assistance to navigate through her housing benefit issues. A link worker was engaged to support her and explore the possibility of a late housing benefit review . However, the rent arrears were accumulating, posing a significant threat to her tenancy which she had now returned to since threat of violence had been removed by police intervention.

Actions Taken:
With the assistance of the link worker, efforts were made to successfully review her housing benefit, resulting in the clearance of £2500 in rent arrears. However, a new challenge arose as the benefit cap was identified, leading to a shortfall in housing support. To address this, a discretionary housing payment was successfully secured, ensuring the rent liability was met.

During this process, it became apparent that Jenny was suffering from significant anxiety and depression, primarily driven by the confulence of past trauma and impending transition to Universal Credit (UC) when her daughter would turn 5 years old in a month.

Support Provided:
The link worker played a vital role in coaching Jenny through the transition process and guiding her in budgeting to better manage her finances under UC. Additionally, Jenny was encouraged to engage with her GP to progress to support a work capability assessment for UC, which eventually established that she had limited capability for work-related activities (LCWRA).

Outcome:
The LCWRA status not only provided Jenny with additional financial support but also removed the benefit cap, ensuring that her rent payments were met in full. This safeguarded her tenancy and maximised the household's income.

Conclusion:
Jenny's case highlights the challenges faced by single parents transitioning from legacy benefits to Universal Credit, especially when dealing with traumatic experiences and administrative hurdles. With the right support and guidance, it is possible to navigate these challenges successfully, ensuring that individuals like Jenny receive the assistance they need to secure their housing and financial stability.