Welfare Reform – Keeping on Track

One day conference Thursday 17 October 2013 America Square Conference Centre, London

Hear the latest updates and learn from trial areas

Conference guide Welfare Reform – Keeping on Track

Dear delegate, On behalf of the National Housing Federation I would like to welcome you to the Welfare Reform Conference. The programme has been designed to offer you the chance to interact with fellow professionals and gain from their knowledge, so I hope you will take the opportunity to exchange ideas with your peers. To get maximum value from the day, please read the ‘Participation and interactivity’ section in this pack. This will help you define objectives and establish the points you would like to see addressed. Presentations will be made available to download after the conference. You will be notified by email when they are available. We also invite you to take part in our online delegate survey. It would be very much appreciated if you could complete the survey to ensure that our conferences meet your expectations in the future. Inside this pack you will find: • programme • speaker biographies • participation and interactivity • delegate information. If you have any questions or would like to discuss your ideas for future conferences, please feel free to contact a member of the Federation team at the registration desk today who would love to hear your feedback and suggestions. Finally, I would like to extend a warm thank you to our speakers and session chairs for their participation in today’s event. I hope you enjoy the event.

Chris Bancroft Conference Manager

Exhibition Please take time to visit the exhibition, an excellent opportunity to meet leading and innovative suppliers to the sector, to find new ideas and get expert advice. You will find detailed information about exhibitors in the exhibitor list which accompanies this guide. The exhibition is organised on behalf of the National Housing Federation by Foremarke Exhibitions. For any queries about the exhibition please ask any of Foremarke’s team who will be happy to help. For information about exhibiting or sponsorship at any of the Federation’s events please contact Julian Hurst at Foremarke on 020 8877 8898 or [email protected]

020 7067 1066 [email protected] 020 7067 1066 [email protected] Programme

09:00 Registration and refreshments 11:30 Breakout sessions Location: Cornhill B1: The pathfinder experience – what is 09:50 Welcome and introduction it really like? Location: Ludgate Location: Ludgate The pathfinder programme has presented an 10:00 Opening plenary: Universal Credit – opportunity to prepare for the huge change in lessons learned so far how welfare benefits are calculated and paid. Location: Ludgate This session will outline: At this key moment in the welfare reform ●● how New Charter is practically addressing programme, we consider the impact of the issues that are emerging for both reforms, Universal Credit roll out and the role tenants and the business housing associations play in supporting the claimant journey. Attend this session to: ●● the challenges and how to meet them ●● find out what the timetable for roll ●● how they have been preparing tenants for out means the change ●● understand the support that will be ●● their experience of being a landlord in the available to you pathfinder area ●● discover the lessons learnt from the Speakers: pathfinder and demonstration projects Martin Frost, Deputy Chief Executive, New Charter Housing Association ● discuss what the impact of reform is ● Julie Vickers, Director of Business Support, ●● hear what your peers and tenants think New Charter Housing Association Speakers: Chair: Jean Cooling, Head of Stakeholder and Helen Williams, Assistant Director, Partner Management, Department for Work National Housing Federation and Pensions Stephen Finlay, Research Director, Head of B2: Budgeting support for Housing, Planning and Development, Ipsos Mori Universal Credit Chair: Location: Walbrook Dave Simmonds OBE, Chief Executive, How will families manage the change to a Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion monthly payment paid direct to one account? Come and hear about how the need for 11:00 Refreshment break budgeting support will be identified and take Location: Cornhill a walk through the support process step by step. Speaker: Sandra Robinson, Budgeting Support and Indebtedness, Social Justice, Department for Work and Pensions Continuing Professional Chair: Development (CPD) Pippa Bell, Policy Officer, National Housing Federation To find out more about the CPD Certification Service call 020 8840 383, 12:30 Networking lunch email [email protected] or visit Location: Cornhill www.cdpuk.co.uk.

Attendance certificates and self-assessment forms will be available at the registration desk.

020 7067 1066 [email protected] Programme

13:30 Breakout sessions 15:00 Plenary two: Better off in work? How can Universal Credit support people B3: Bank accounts – budgeting tool into work? or obstacle? Location: Ludgate Location: Ludgate This panel discussion will explore: Financial products have a big role to play in supporting people to manage Universal Credit. ●● sanctions and work-related This session will discuss: benefit conditions ●● how pitfalls can be avoided ●● the Work Programme and Help to Work under Universal Credit ●● what resources are needed to support people ●● how best to support different people into work ●● how preparing for Universal Credit fits with wider financial inclusion work ●● integrating support and collaborating at a local level Speaker: Sian Williams, Head of Financial Inclusion, Panellists: Toynbee Hall Duncan Breckell, HR Business Partner, Spectrum Housing Group and Member, Give us a Chair: Chance (GUAC) Consortium Lizzie Clifford, External Affairs Manager, Maeve McGoldrick, Policy and Public Affairs National Housing Federation Manager, Community Links B4: Data sharing – who knows what Dianna Neal, Head of Economy, Culture and and why? Tourism, London Councils Location: Walbrook Chair: This session considers the challenge of data Kirsty McHugh, Chief Executive, sharing, including: The Employment Related Services Association (ERSA) ●● how best to support financial independence ●● how data sharing could smooth the 15:45 Plenary three: Poverty and the impact customer journey on families ●● the challenges of Universal Credit Location: Ludgate Speakers: How will the welfare reform programme Wendy Pretten, Head of Income Collection in its entirety impact on individuals, families and Community Safety, Places for People and communities? How can housing Sam Duffy, Project Manager for Welfare Reform organisations respond? Join our experts as and Financial Inclusion, Places for People we consider: Chair: ●● a squeeze on living standards; a change in Sue Ramsden, Policy Leader, family dynamics? National Housing Federation ●● practical anti-poverty responses from housing associations 14:30 Refreshment break ●● the potential for future, further cuts Location: Cornhill Speakers: Mike Dixon, Assistant Chief Executive, National Online delegate survey Association of Citizens Advice Bureau Peter Fitzhenry, Director of Housing Please take time to complete our Management, Golden Gates Housing Trust online feedback survey. You will be Chair: sent an email with information on Helen Williams, Assistant Director, how to access the survey directly National Housing Federation after the event or you can use the QR Reader on your smartphone to access it from 17:00 today. 16:30 Conference close Alternatively type this link into your browser: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WR1013

020 7067 1066 [email protected] 020 7067 1066 [email protected] Biographies

Duncan Breckell, HR Business Partner, Dianna Neal, Head of Economy, Culture and Spectrum Housing Group and Member, Give us a Tourism, London Councils Chance (GUAC) Consortium Biography not available. Biography not available. Wendy Pretten, Head of Income Collection Jean Cooling, Head of Stakeholder and Partner and Community Safety, Places for People Management, Department for Work and Pensions Wendy is leading on the welfare reform changes for the Biography not available. Places for People Group and chairs a group of housing associations working with the DWP to influence data Mike Dixon, Assistant Chief Executive, National sharing for universal credit. Wendy is also currently Association of Citizens Advice Bureau a trustee for LIFT a London based charity supporting Mike leads on policy research and campaigns, news, homeless people to gain housing and employment. She strategy, data, digital, communications and fundraising. was previously regional housing director at William He previously worked in the Prime Minister’s strategy Sutton Homes, and was also on the board of Bolton unit, as special adviser to the secretary of state in two Community Homes, a member of Leeds Renew, the Whitehall departments, and in senior roles in the charity Manchester RSL Forum and the Salford and private sectors. Strategic Partnership. Sam Duffy, Project Manager for Welfare Reform Sandra Robinson, Budgeting Support and and Financial Inclusion, Places for People Indebtedness, Social Justice, Department for Biography not available. Work and Pensions Stephen Finlay, Research Director, Head of Sandra is a civil servant with over 30 years experience. Housing, Planning and Development, Ipsos Mori She has worked on Universal Credit since its inception Stephen has been conducting housing research for in July 2010 as the DWP business architect leading more than 10 years and is currently conducting a range the business design. Since early 2012, Sandra has led of research on welfare reform for the National Housing the development of personal budgeting support from Federation, government and the sector more widely. strategy through to implementation in pathfinder. Peter Fitzhenry, Director of Housing Julie Vickers, Director of Business Support, Management, Golden Gates Housing Trust New Charter Housing Association Peter works for Golden Gates Housing Trust, Warrington’s Julie has responsibility for all aspects of income recent LSVT. His experience covers over 25 years in the management, IT and payroll for the New Charter Group public sector including working for London boroughs, city with a key element being the billing, collection and councils and district and unitary authorities. His main recovery of £80m annually. Welfare reform presents areas of interest are around housing, e-government, a huge challenge to achieving this. She sees the key efficiency and procurement, welfare benefits and process to success as the delivery of strategy which supports re-engineering. tenants, engages staff and in doing so, delivers business viability. Martin Frost, Deputy Chief Executive, New Charter Housing Association Sian Williams, Head of Financial Inclusion, Martin has responsibility for New Charter’s finances. Toynbee Hall Since 2000 he has ensured that the Group has achieved Sian is responsible for all financial inclusion the highest viability standard from the regulator. His programmes, including Transact, the national forum wider role as deputy chief executive allows him to deliver for financial inclusion, financial inclusion training and a financial strategy which manages risk in the context of strategic consultancy, and front-line and train the delivering community sustainability. trainer financial capability programmes. Sian previously undertook a range of policy, management, training and Maeve McGoldrick, Policy and Public Affairs representational roles in the UK and overseas within her Manager, Community Links 15 year career as a British diplomat with the Foreign Maeve leads on Community Link’s policy and campaigning and Commonwealth Office, specialising in economic work on poverty, welfare and employment. Other policy development and financial services in the Far East. areas include the introduction of the new benefits system Universal Credit, employment support provision, including the contractual design and delivery of the Work Programme and Jobcentre Plus reform, labour market policy and payment by results and social finance service provision models. Previously Maeve held policy and campaigning roles with the British Youth Council and ATD, Fourth World.

020 7067 1066 [email protected] My Home Energy

Help your tenants cut their energy bills My Home Energy Switch is an energy supply service from the National Housing Federation to help tenants reduce their energy bills. This service is completely free and impartial. How does it work? All tenants need to do is call 0800 0014 706 or go to www.myhomeenergyswitch.org.uk with their postcode and a current energy bill. The My Home Energy Switch team will do the rest. Contact our team today to find out more on 0800 0014 706 Paorntone Pr ocess Coated: DS 203-1 C C: 100% M: 60% Y: 0% K: 0%

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R: 237 G: 28 B: 36 Participation and interactivity

The National Housing Federation strives to produce conferences that maximise our delegates’ objectives – whether that’s networking, gaining practical or tangible learnings or inspiration for taking a particular idea forward. To ensure that you extract the maximum value from the day, we would encourage you to get involved as much as possible to shape your learning experience. Live discussion If you have something to say about the conference, join the discussion on Twitter #NHFWelfare13 You can also follow us @natfednews. Be vocal We have built in a number of opportunities for you to put questions to our speakers so don’t hesitate to put your hand up during the Q&A. Get chatting Some of the most lucrative and valuable relationships have been made through event networking on-site. Speaking to your peers provides an unrivalled opportunity to make contacts, share best practice or simply bounce ideas off one another. We have built in a number of networking breaks throughout the day and we encourage you to make the most of them. If there is anyone in particular you wish to meet, please make this known to one of the conference staff and we will endeavour to facilitate this. Delegate information

Conference survey Security and personal belongings The National Housing Federation values We advise that you keep your valuables in the your comments about the quality of the cloakroom facility or with you at all times. We ask you conference programme and facilities. to mark your conference documentation with your Delegates are asked to complete an name so we are able to return them to you if lost. We online survey which will help plan future events and regret that neither the Federation nor the venue can deliver the maximum benefit. Keep an eye out for the be held responsible for loss or damage to property. email with a link to the survey. Alternatively use the QR code or go directly to Disclaimer https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WR1013 This programme is correct at the time of going to press. In the event of one or more of the advertised Refreshments and lunch speakers being unable to attend, for reasons beyond All refreshments and lunch will be served in the the control of the conference organisers, we reserve Cornhill room. If you have advised us of any special the right to make alterations or substitutions to the dietary requirements, please contact a member programme as deemed fit. All timings are provisional of staff. and may be subject to change. Views expressed Name badges by speakers are their own. The National Housing You will have been given a name badge upon Federation disclaims any liability for advice given or registration. For security reasons, and as a courtesy views expressed by any speaker at the event or in to other delegates, please ensure that you wear it at notes or documentation provided to delegates. all times. Presentations Emergency procedure Help us to protect the environment – download In the event of an emergency, delegates should speaker presentations from our website. make their way quickly and calmly to the nearest We are fully committed to reducing our impact on the exit without collecting their belongings. In the event environment and engendering the same approach of an emergency procedure or evacuation, delegates from our members and the wider sector. We therefore should follow the guidance and instructions of do not produce presentation materials for our the venue staff, and subsequently, the emergency delegates. Presentations will be uploaded to services (if applicable). www.housing.org.uk/events/presentations Mobile phones within seven days and they will be available for Delegates are reminded that mobile phones three months. must be switched to silent during all conference sessions. The National Housing Federation is the voice of affordable housing in England. We believe that everyone should have the home they need at a price they can afford. That’s why we represent the work of housing associations and campaign for better housing. Our members provide two and a half million homes for more than five million people. And each year they invest in a diverse range of neighbourhood projects that help create strong, vibrant communities.

Forthcoming events

23 October 2013 Treasury Management Conference, America Square Conference Centre, London

18 March 2014 Housing Association National Accountancy Awards (HANAAs), National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham

19–20 March 2014 Housing Finance Conference and Exhibition 2014, University of Warwick, Coventry

For a brochure on any of these events visit www.housing.org.uk/events or email [email protected] stating the conference name and we will send you information.

For details of all our forthcoming events and for the latest news and policy updates visit the National Housing Federation’s website www.housing.org.uk

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National Housing Federation, Lion Court, 25 Procter Street, London, WC1V 6NY Tel: 020 7067 1066 Fax: 020 7067 1015 [email protected] www.housing.org.uk