Welfare Reform Act: New data sharing powers

24 July 2012King’s House, Manchester

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Title hereHouse KeepingFire Alarm: none expectedFire Exit: follow fire exit signs Fire Assembly: car park across roadToilets: past top of stairsSmoking: outsideRefreshments: in here

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AgendaTime Description Who10:00 am Welcome, housekeeping and

objectivesPhil Swan, iNetwork

10:15 am Data sharing & the Welfare Reform Act Carol Foster-Middleton, DWPBeverley Winnimore, DWP

10:55 am Workshop Part 1: Key questions and issues

All

11:20 am Workshop Part 2: Top 4-5 points All

11:30 am Comfort break All

11:50 am Q&A Session Carol Foster-Middleton, DWPBeverley Winnimore, DWP

1:00 pm Lunch and networking All

• Open and frank opportunity for discussion• Helping councils get to grips with data

sharing elements of WFA• Helping the DWP understand perceived

issues and challenges

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DATA SHARING & THE WELFARE REFORM ACT

Carol Foster-Middleton, DWPBeverley Winnimore, DWP

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Sharing Social Security Data with Local Authorities

New measures in the Welfare Reform Act 2012 and associated regulations

Sharing data with local authorities

Review of data sharing policy

• In 2010 we undertook a review into the policy and practices relating to data sharing between DWP and LAs.

• Key findings:- many LAs wanted wider access to social security data to help deliver a range of local services

- lots of confusion about what the law allowed

Sharing data with local authorities

Outcome of review• Published guidance for LAs explaining what

can be done with social security data.

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/data-sharing-guide.pdf

• Decided to seek new legal powers to allow data to be shared more widely.

Sharing data with local authorities

Welfare Reform Act 2012 (section 130)

• New provisions in the Act allow LAs to tell other parts of the same LA, another LA, or DWP, if a person they know of has been admitted to or discharged from hospital or residential care, or needs overnight care at home.

• Purpose is to help ensure people have their social security benefit paid at the right amount.

Sharing data with local authoritiesWelfare Reform Act 2012 (section 131)

• Provides DWP with the power to share relevant information with qualifying persons (QPs) for welfare services or council tax purposes.

• Allows QPs to share welfare services information with DWP, for a social security benefit purpose.

• Enables QPs to share relevant information between and within themselves, and in some cases with RSLs, for a welfare services, council tax or housing benefit purpose.

Sharing data with local authorities

Welfare Reform Act 2012 (section 131)

• Welfare service includes services which provide accommodation, support, assistance, advice or counselling to individuals with particular needs, and for these purposes ‘assistance’ includes assistance by means of a grant or loan or the provision of goods or services.

Sharing data with local authorities

Welfare Reform Act 2012 (section 131)

• Relevant information means information relating to any relevant social security benefit; or welfare services.

• Relevant social security benefit has the meaning given in section 121DA(7) of the Social Security Administration Act.

Sharing data with local authorities

Welfare Reform Act 2012

• Qualifying person includes all types of LA.

• Applies to LAs in England,Scotland and Wales

• Regulations can prescribe additional qualifying persons, and this is being used to include Registered Social Landlords in some cases.

Sharing data with local authorities

The Social Security (Information-Sharing in Relation to Welfare Services etc) Regulations

• Regulations came into force on 2 July 2012.• They prescribe information, and some

additional benefits that are affected by the provisions in section 130.

• They prescribe the purposes where data can be shared under section 131.

• And they prescribe RSLs as a QP for some purposes.

Sharing data with local authoritiesPurposes for which data can be shared:

• Blue Badge parking permits;• Discretionary Housing Payments;• Disability Facility Grants; • Domiciliary and residential care financial

assessments; • Homelessness;• Supporting People.Plus:• Benefit cap, under occupancy rules; • Troubled Families.

Sharing data with local authoritiesHow will this work in practice?

• LAs can set up their own arrangements for sharing data with other parts of the LA, another LA or RSLs.

• DWP will be setting up a process to supply data for Blue Badges, Res/Non Res Care, and DFGs. Likley to be some months before this is resolved.

• In meantime it is ‘business as usual’, although LAs no longer need to supply proof of customer consent.

• Guidance will be published shortly.

Sharing data with local authorities

Further legislation

• October 2012: regs will be brought into force which prescribe council tax as a purpose for data sharing.

• April 2013: regs will come into force prescribing local social fund schemes as a data sharing purpose.

• 2013: some additional gateways between DWP, LAs and landlords for UC purposes.

Sharing data with local authorities

Happy to take questions

You can contact me by email at: Carol.foster-middleton@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

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AgendaTime Description Who10:00 am Welcome, housekeeping and

objectivesPhil Swan, iNetwork

10:15 am Data sharing & the Welfare Reform Act Carol Foster-Middleton, DWPBeverley Winnimore, DWP

10:55 am Workshop Part 1: Key questions and issues

All

11:20 am Workshop Part 2: Top 4-5 points All

11:30 am Comfort break All

11:50 am Q&A Session Carol Foster-Middleton, DWPBeverley Winnimore, DWP

1:00 pm Lunch and networking All

Workshop: Key questions and issues

• Getting all the questions tabled• Identify the key points for Q&A session

after break• Develop this community of professionals

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Part 1: Key questions and issues

• Introductions• Willing volunteer - scribe!• Share and capture key questions and

issues• Wrap up in 20 mins

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Part 2: Top 4-5 items• Discuss the key questions or issues you

feel / think are most important• Highlight the top 4-5 questions • Have a break before the Q&A• 10 mins

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11:30. Refreshment Break

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QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION

Carol Foster-Middleton, DWPBeverley Winnimore, DWP

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WRAP UP AND NEXT STEPSPhil Swan

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Wrap up• Write up the issues and questions here

and circulate them• Follow up on unresolved issues with DWP

and LA colleagues• Ask for feedback

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• Take a moment to reflect on the session today

• What is something useful that you will take away with you?

• What follow up activities would you appreciate?

• Write this down on a post-it note and stick it on the suitcase flipchart (located on the wall)