1.
a) Does the local authority have employees engaged in income maximisation activities i.e. focussing on identifying additional benefit entitlements that will increase a citizen’s household income or improve their financial resilience?
Yes.

b) If yes, are these activities carried out by dedicated income maximisation resources, or are these activities combined with additional duties e.g Debt Advice, homelessness support?
The Rental Income Team has one and a half posts for Tenancy Sustainment Officers for which part of their duties are income maximisation, so this activity is combined with other duties.

2. Which department within the local authority is responsible for the administration of income maximisation activities?
No single area has overall responsibility and forms part of an officers duties combined with others. We dont have a specific team to focus on income maximisation.

3. What is the estimated level full time employee resource engaged specifically in income maximisation activities?
A third of the time for the one and a half posts is the estimated time that the Tenancy Sustainment Officers engage in Income Maximisation activities.

4. Does the local authority conduct any take-up campaigns aimed at increasing benefit maximisation, i.e. Council Tax Reduction, Discretionary Housing Payment or Pension Credit campaigns?
The Tenancy Sustainment Officer service is advertised within our communications , such as the tenant magazine.
Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) – When we receive a Universal Credit notification we identify claimants who, for example have a restriction to their eligible rent and invited them to claim a DHP.

5. Does the local authority use any third party data sets to proactively identify and support citizens who may be eligible for additional benefit entitlements or other financial support, for example Income Max or Policy in Practice?
The Rental Income Team does not use and third party data sets.

6. Does the local authority complete and submit claims on behalf of citizens or does it signpost the citizen to the organisation administering the support e.g other local authority department / DWP etc?
There is a mixture and this depends on the circumstances of each person. Where able to, we would support someone complete their own Universal Credit application. If the person could not do this themselves, then we can submit claims on behalf of the tenant. There is also Citizens Advice Bureau – sign posted under “One front door” for other help.

7. If the authority does not provide a dedicated income maximisation service, does it have arrangements in place with third parties such as Citizens Advice Bureau or other Third Sector or Voluntary and Community Sector organisations to support citizens with maximising their income?
As well as the Tenancy Sustainment Officer service, the authority does have arrangements in place with third parties.

8. If the local authority does not currently have a dedicated income maximisation team, does it have plans to develop one in the next 12-24 months?
We do not hold this information. Wokingham Borough Council are continuing to develop borough wide support across a range of agencies’ such as through the ‘Charity and community hub’ which is being launched.