DWP Local Authority Welfare Steering Group
This is a forum for DWP and local authorities to discuss strategic issues relating to Housing Benefit and local authority funding.
Role of the group
This forum represents a merger between the former DWP Local Authority Associations Steering Group and the former Universal Credit LA Steering Group.
The DWP Local Authority Welfare Steering Group is responsible for considering and providing a strategic expert view from a local authority perspective into all Housing Benefit (HB), Universal Credit, Universal Support and other DWP welfare related matters, to support their on-going development, refinement, implementation and delivery.
The Steering Group is the main forum for DWP to consult with local authority associations. It considers:
- significant strategic issues on the design and administration of Housing Benefit, Universal Credit, Universal Support and other DWP issues that affect these and local authority welfare delivery
- matters relating to the funding of local authorities for Housing Benefit through HB Admin subsidy and Universal Credit and Universal Support through new burdens and grant payments
The purpose of the group is to ensure that local authorities:
- are kept aware of DWP policy and strategy developments that affect them
- have the opportunity, where possible, to help shape developments
- obtain insight, influence and challenge
Practitioners Operational Group
The Practitioners Operational Group reports to the DWP Local Authority Welfare Steering Group and discusses operational issues relating to matters relating to the development of:
- Housing Benefit policy and administration
- Universal Credit operational impacts for LAs
- fraud and error
- and compliance issues
DWP LA Partnership Forum
The Partnership Forum is responsible for considering and providing a high level oversight and scrutiny from a local authority perspective into all Housing Benefit, Universal Credit, Universal Support and other DWP welfare related matters, to support their on-going development, refinement, implementation and delivery.
Scottish and Welsh Universal Credit Advisory Groups
The respective Scottish and Welsh Universal Credit Advisory Groups cover all aspects of implementation and delivery in Scotland and Wales. They help to ensure that local issues, intelligence feedback can be gathered and fed into the DWP LA Welfare Steering Group.
Membership of these groups
These groups include representation from:
- DWP
- Department for Communities and Local Government
- Scottish Government
- Welsh Government
- local authorities
- county councils
- Local Government Associations of England, Scotland and Wales
- housing providers
Steering Group terms of reference
Steering Group minutes