Guidance

A3/2020: Changes to the Severe Disability Premium process

Updated 10 February 2021

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/housing-benefit-adjudication-circulars-2020/a32020-changes-to-the-severe-disability-premium-process

Who should read

Housing Benefit staff

Action

For information

Guidance Manual

The information in this circular does not affect the content of the HB Guidance Manual

Queries

For queries about the:

Introduction

1. This circular is to advise that further changes have been made to the Severe Disability Premium (SDP) process from 2 March 2020 to ensure any SDP claimants who have incorrectly claimed Universal Credit (UC) as identified by DWP can have their legacy benefits reinstated.

Background

2. As advised in circular HB A1/2019, from 16 January 2019 any claimants who are in receipt and remain entitled to SDP, (including those who have had a break in their claim but have entitlement within the last month), will remain on their existing legacy benefit relevant to their change in circumstance. Where the claimant is no longer in receipt of SDP or they have an entitlement but are not in receipt of SDP will have to go online to make a claim to UC.

The new process

3. If the claimant is moved back to legacy benefits an SDP Clerical Referral Form (LA) (to reinstate the HB claim) will be sent to the local authority (LA) for the Housing Benefit (HB) claim – see Appendix A for a copy of the referral form. The SDP Clerical Referral Form will revoke the HB Stop notice and the HB claim should be considered from the date on the revoked HB Stop notice. This means the referral form to HB can go back for up to 12 months.

4. Additionally, the LA could receive an SDP Clerical Referral Form where a new claim has been made to the legacy benefit for example, claimant has moved from ESA(IR) to JSA(IB), this is to ensure that the claimant can be considered for a new HB claim. No new claim data will be taken for the HB claim alongside the DWP legacy claims but the claimant should be signposted to the LA to make a HB claim where appropriate.

5. If an LA receives an SDP Clerical Referral Form for a new claim they will be able to see any entitlement to SDP which is paid through a DWP legacy benefit on Searchlight. We have been told that this could take up to 48 hours for the system to update the information.

6. The volume of these cases will be low and the LA will be contacted by DWP via the referral template, when these cases are being looked at. All the cases will be handled on a case by case basis.

7. The DWP Support pack for local authorities will be updated to reflect these changes.

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