Guidance

Housing Benefit adjudication circulars 2016

Adjudication circulars provide updates to the Housing Benefit guidance manual for local authority staff.

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

Documents

A12/2016: Housing Benefit Uprating 2017/18

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A11/2016: Payment Deduction Project interface, local authority user guidance

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A10/2016: Administration of the benefit cap 2016

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A10/2016: Benefit cap, LA/DWP email notification template

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A9/2016: Personal details verification report

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A9/2016: Form CIS 500 (only completed if own Customer Information System can't be changed)

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A8/2016: The Secondary Annuities Market and Housing Benefit

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A7/2016: The Housing Benefit and State Pension Credit (Temporary Absence) (Amendment) Regulations 2016

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A6/2016: Payment Deductions Project

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A5/2016: Optional Real Time Information Bulk Data Matching Initiative

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A5/2016: Example optional Real Time Information file

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A5/2016: Example Real Time Information raw file

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A4/2016: Housing Benefit operational information, performance support and engagement for financial year 2016/17

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A3/2016: HB (abolition of the family premium and limiting backdating) (Amendment) Reg 2015 and UC and Miscellaneous Amendment Regs 2015

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A2/2016: Extension of Fraud and Error Reduction Incentive Scheme 2016/17

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A1/2016: Managing capital cases where Payment Protection Insurance may be included

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Details

Adjudication circulars provide advice, guidance and information on Housing Benefit to local authority staff. They update the Housing Benefit guidance manual.

The circulars make many references to Council Tax Benefit as this was administered by local authorities alongside Housing Benefit until March 2013. In April 2013 Council Tax Benefit was replaced by local authorities’ own council tax support and reduction schemes, removing DWP’s involvement.

Readers will need to consider references to Council Tax Benefit in these documents accordingly.

For enquiries about the distribution of circulars, email: housing.correspondenceandpqs@dwp.gov.uk.

Published 18 January 2016
Last updated 14 December 2018 + show all updates
  1. Revised HB circular A6/2016. Escalation, debt management, paragraph 33 - new telephone number for recoveries, payments, balances, etc: 0800 916 0647.

  2. Added HB Circular A12/2016: Housing Benefit: Uprating 2017-18.

  3. Added HB Circular A11/2016:Payment Deduction Project interface: local authority user guidance.

  4. Replaced A10/2016 and appendix: Administration of the benefit cap 2016 with revised guidance on Dual cases, Specified Accommodation regulation changes and enhancements regarding Grace Period entitlement.

  5. Replaced A10/2016 with revised annex B - Example award notification.

  6. Added HB circular A10/2016: Administration of the benefit cap 2016 and benefit cap LA/DWP email notification template.

  7. Added HB Circular A9/2016: Personal details verification report and CIS 500 form.

  8. Added HB Circular A8/2016: The Secondary Annuities Market and Housing Benefit.

  9. Revised HB circular A7/2016: Amended dates in example 1 below paragraph 15.

  10. Added HB Circular A7/2016: The Housing Benefit and State Pension Credit (Temporary Absence) (Amendment) Regulations 2016

  11. Added HB Circular A6/2016: Payment Deductions Project.

  12. Added HB Circular A5/2016: Optional Real Time Information (RTI) Bulk Data Matching Initiative and example optional RTI and raw files.

  13. Added HB Circular A4/2016: Housing Benefit operational information, performance support and engagement 2016/17.

  14. Added HB circular A3/2016: The Housing Benefit (Abolition of the Family premium and limiting backdating) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 and the Universal Credit and Miscellaneous Amendment Regulations 2015.

  15. Published HB circular A2/2016: Extension of Fraud and Error Reduction Incentive Scheme 2016/17.

  16. First published.