Guidance

LA Welfare Direct 12/2025 lite

Updated 5 January 2026

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LAWD12/2025 lite 18 December 2025

Crown Copyright 2025 

Recipients may freely reproduce this bulletin.

Contact

Queries about the:

  • technical content of this bulletin, contact details are given at the end of each article 
  • general content and distribution of this bulletin, contact lawelfare.correspondence@dwp.gov.uk

Who should read

All Housing Benefit colleagues and wider if appropriate

Action

For information

Housing Benefit Award Accuracy Initiative: Capturing Year 6 end of year performance

  1. It is normal at this time of year for local authorities (LAs) to raise questions with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) about timescales associated with the capture of information on their LA IT systems, to inform and count towards end of year Housing Benefit Award Accuracy (HBAA) Initiative performance. 

  2. Therefore, we have provided (see Annex A) the most frequently asked questions to support LAs in the planning of work, as they transition from Year 6 into Year 7 of the Initiative (further details of Year 7 Initiative will be shared once finalised). 

  3. If you have any questions regarding the content of this article, email lawelfare.pdtprm@dwp.gov.uk

Annex A: Frequently asked questions – Capturing Year 6 end of year performance

Question 1: Can I locally record intervention activity clerically and then bulk upload information to my LA IT system once interventions are closed?

Although possible, LAs should refrain from the clerical recording of Full Case Review (FCR) activity resulting in bulk input of intervention start and end dates and outcomes to LA IT systems. Intervention start and end dates and outcomes should be recorded on LA IT systems on the actual date they begin and end. This will support both more accurate reporting of ‘in-month’ activity and the correct apportionment of performance when transitioning from one reporting year to the next.

Question 2: What is the last date for the input of an FCR Intervention Start Date to my LA IT system to enable it to count towards Year 6 performance?

The last date for input of an FCR for submission to DWP during: 

  • SHBE Week 1 LAs: Week commencing 2 March 2026 

  • SHBE Week 2 LAs: Week commencing 9 March 2026 

  • SHBE Week 3 LAs: Week commencing 16 March 2026 

  • SHBE Week 4 LAs: Week commencing 23 March 2026

Example

A Week 1 LA takes a copy of their SHBE on Thursday 26 February 2026 to be submitted to DWP on Tuesday 3 March 2026. Therefore, the last date for an Intervention Start Date to be input and recorded on their LA IT system will be Wednesday 25 February 2026.

Question 3: What is the last date for the input of an FCR Intervention Completion Date and Outcome to my LA IT system to enable it to count towards Year 6 performance?

LAs should continue to follow up and record outcomes for all interventions set up on their IT systems (in line with Question 2 above) to ensure all data is captured and reported for Year 6. DWP will refresh its data for three months after the financial year ending March 2026 SHBE returns to ensure all intervention outcome information is captured. Therefore: 

  • SHBE Week 1 LAs: Until the day before taking a copy of SHBE for submission week commencing 1 June 2026 

  • SHBE Week 2 LAs: Until the day before taking a copy of SHBE for submission week commencing 8 June 2026 

  • SHBE Week 3 LAs: Until the day before taking a copy of SHBE for submission week commencing 15 June 2026 

  • SHBE Week 4 LAs: Until the day before taking a copy of SHBE for submission week commencing 22 June 2026

Example

A Week 2 LA takes a copy of their SHBE on Thursday 4 June 2026 to be submitted to DWP on Tuesday 9 June 2026. Therefore, the last date to complete the intervention and record an outcome will be Wednesday 3 June 2026.

Question 4: What happens if I miss the deadlines for recording an intervention start date as stated in Question 2?

Any intervention input to an LA IT system outside of the parameter stated in Question 2 will be counted towards Year 7 performance (subject to finalisation of Year 7 Initiative requirements).

Question 5: What if I miss the deadline for recording an Intervention Completion Date and associated Outcome outside of the parameter stated in Question 3?

Although LAs may have missed the deadline for the completed intervention and outcome to be considered by DWP as counting towards Year 6 performance, LAs must ensure that all ‘open’ interventions are followed up and the Intervention Completion Dates and Outcomes recorded on their LA IT systems. Failure to do so will result in unresolved interventions being held indefinitely on LA IT systems and inaccurate data that informs HBMS management information analysis by DWP.

Question 6: Which data sent from DWP is the last in scope for Year 6?

For LAs that elect to make use of the monthly DWP risk data file, the file issued between week commencing 9 February 2026 and week commencing 2 March 2026 is the final report in scope to pull cases for FCR activity to count towards Year 6 performance.

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