Download (3223Kb) - White Rose Research Online
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Dear Housing Benefit Manager<br />
1 April 1998<br />
<strong>Research</strong> into Local Authorities’ Usc of Key Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Discretionary<br />
Powers<br />
Thank you for agreeing to take part in this project The accompanying letter and fact sheet from thc I)SS<br />
explain the scope of the study and the roles played by the research team al SPRU and the survey agency PAS<br />
Ltd I am sure that you will find the findings from the research interesting and useful<br />
I have enclosed a ‘questionnairs~outline’ which explains the questions we would like to ad, you during the<br />
interview The work of developing the questionnaire has been assisted by the staff of 18 authorities in Great<br />
Buitaun who were visited by members of the York research team in February and March of this year<br />
Some of the questions require statistical data relating to your discretionary powers and you may have to<br />
prepare these in advaiice of the actual interview The outline is intended as a guide The exact wording ot<br />
the questions may change following pilot testing of the questionnaire this week<br />
The discretionary powers that are the subject of the project fall into two distinct types The Iirst conceni your<br />
powers established initially in January 1996 to grant exceptional hardship payurients to claimants whose<br />
Housing Benefit awards have been restncted on the basis of a local reference rent or single room rent<br />
(Circular HB/CTB A7/96 contains the details) We ask about these in Section Aol the questionnaire<br />
The second set of powers derive from the Social Securuty Administration (Fraud) Act 1997 and are intended<br />
to increasethecapabilityof local authorities to combat Housing Benefit fraud These are set out in Circular<br />
HB/CTB A48/97 We are aware that these powers only came into force in November 1997 but the<br />
Department is very interested in authonties’ early expenences (or plans for the future) We ask about the new<br />
powers which relate to landlords un Section B of the questionnaire, and those relating to claimants in Section<br />
C<br />
The next step in the research study is that PAS will contact you direct to book a convenient time after the<br />
Easter holiday for the interview to take place II you have any querues regarding the research I will be happy<br />
to answer them as best I can<br />
Your’. sincerely<br />
Dr Roy S.uirichury<br />
HLseauch Team Leader<br />
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