Policy in Practice

🚨 NEW REPORT RELEASE - The art of the possible: How data can improve access to social tariffs 🚰 Nearly £3 billion of support is going unclaimed by eight million people, here’s how we can fix that. Our new report The art of the possible, published today together with Citizens Advice, IPPR and abrdn Financial Fairness Trust, shows how leading utilities are already using data to remove barriers and increase take-up of social tariffs. With water bills rising by up to 47% tomorrow, action is needed now. The help exists, but it’s not reaching those who need it most. 🔹 Apply Once: making it easier for people to access support 🔹 Auto Enrol: ensuring customers in arrears get help without an application 🔹 Targeted outreach: using data to connect people with support they are entitled to We have the tools to make a difference. Let’s use them. 📖 Read our blog: https://lnkd.in/dS3p2q9E 📊 Or download the the full report (24 pages): https://lnkd.in/drnZXUgC 

⚠️ NEW REPORT RELEASE: Art of the possible: How data can improve access to social tariffs 🚰 Eight million low income households are missing out on £2.7 billion worth of vital support for their water, energy and broadband bills, despite existing data sharing tools that could automate access. Our new report, published today as part of a Citizens Advice led-partnership with IPPR and abrdn Financial Fairness Trust looking at social tariffs, reveals how pioneering utilities are already using data to increase social tariff take up. With water bills set to rise by an average of 26%, and up to 47% in some cases, by April 2025, urgent action is needed to ensure struggling families receive the support they are entitled to. This report highlights pioneering case studies from South West Water, Anglian Water Services, Thames Water and British Gas Energy Trust. Findings: 🔍 Pioneering utilities are using innovative data led approaches like Auto Enrol and Apply Once, as well as targeted communications, to remove barriers that prevent customers from taking up social tariffs and other support 🔍 Case studies from these innovative utilities, shown below, show that the necessary data sharing infrastructure and legal gateways are largely already in place 🔍 All three approaches to increasing take up, Auto Enrol, Apply Once and targeted communications, are more impactful than traditional mass marketing awareness campaigns. Auto Enrol is the most impactful as a model of automation that can and should be built on as evidenced with Warm Home Discount delivering energy support automatically to the vast majority of eligible households (92% in 2023-24) 🔍 However, the three approaches work best in tandem. Auto Enrol is highly effective but relies on DWP benefits data, therefore missing the millions of people in need of support who are outside of the benefit system. Apply Once and targeted communications are essential for streamlining the application processes for consumers who are not covered by automatic schemes. They also increase the take up of passported benefits which, in turn, grant access to other support 🔍 The case studies show that even complex scheme criteria can be automated, but successful automation depends on designing schemes that use readily available data. Three actions that should happen today: 👉 All water and energy and broadband companies implement Apply Once 👉 Water companies pilot Auto Enrol for customers in arrears 👉 Targeted take up campaigns executed for water and broadband social tariffs and driving take-up of passporting benefits like Universal Credit and Pension Credit Read The art of the possible blog post here: https://lnkd.in/dS3p2q9E Or the full report here: https://lnkd.in/drnZXUgC Fabian Chessell, Deven Ghelani #SocialTariffs #DataForGood #FinancialSupport #CostOfLiving

With this month dubbed 'Awful April' and tomorrow a 'Terrible Tuesday', with bills rising by £30 per month on average, while 1 in 3 people on low incomes - 5m people - are already struggling with essentials, I tried to bring some positive actions that consumers and policymakers can make to bring some light at the end of the tunnel. 📺 ITV News last week had me on with Chris Choi, David Mendes da Costa and Emily Seymour, highlighting social tariffs: bit.ly/4j4nno0 📻 LBC News had me on with Vanessa Feltz, who gave me time 🕰️ to give some practical tips for her listeners: bit.ly/4j97BIz Finally, Policy in Practice is launching a brilliant series of reports with partners IPPR and Citizens Advice. 'The Art of the Possible' highlights how leading utility companies are showing the benefits of data sharing to support auto enrolment and offering streamlined assessments to fast track people to lower bills. We highlight a partnership between Thames Water and Richmond and Wandsworth Councils to Auto Enrol over 1,200 people onto social tariffs this April, distributing over £500,000 of support to people struggling to pay, and Anglian Water Services and British Gas Energy Trust who are using Apply Once to take information from leading Benefit Calculators directly into their application and assessment forms, so people don't need to enter the same information twice. We argue that the government can take action today to scales these and other initiatives to make straightforward access to social tariffs and bill support the expected response from utility companies to customers facing affordability issues. With huge thanks to Fabian Chessell, Genevieve Orford and Jonathan Aron from Policy in Practice for their work on both the policy and practice (see what I did there ;) and Lisa Poole, Peter Cotton, Rosellen Henderson and Jessica Taplin for their commitment to these initiatives. You can access the report here from Monday morning bit.ly/425V7KL

⚡ Energy bills are set to rise again on 1st April. For many households already struggling with debt, this is yet another financial strain. This week was Debt Awareness Week, and we wanted to take the opportunity to highlight StepChange Debt Charity's very important work in providing advice and support to people with debt across the UK. We've had the pleasure of having on our webinars Vanessa Northam, Partnerships Director at StepChange. Below are some powerful insights she has shared on the realities of debt in the UK. And, more importantly, how people can take back control. Breaking debt stigma and making support accessible is crucial. The Better Off Calculator, recommended by GOV.UK, helps people unlock financial support they may not realise they’re entitled to. 💡 Learn more about it here: https://lnkd.in/d57cg9Xb Or watch the full webinars these highlights were drawn from: 🖥️ Navigating the debt landscape in 2025: Emerging challenges and support strategies (Jan 2025) here: https://lnkd.in/dNciij-8 🖥️ Unlocking £23 billion – How data and proactive engagement can enhance pre-arrears support (June 2024) here: https://lnkd.in/dy2Z5w6J

This is exactly why we are so passionate about what we do here at Policy in Practice. Over £1m in unclaimed support, found for just over 2000 people who weren't eligible for the credit they needed. What an amazing story, well done to Chris Markland and the team at MATCH THE CASH LIMITED!! #incomemaximisation #unclaimedsupport #creditandcollections

The Spring Statement confirmed big changes to Universal Credit and disability benefits, but what does this mean for people receiving support? In his latest blog, Richard Jones, Senior policy and welfare analyst at Policy in Practice, summarises the key updates, including: 🔹 Changes to Universal Credit 🔹 Stricter eligibility for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) 🔹 Changes in 2026 and beyond Read the full blog post, including what’s confirmed and what’s still under review, updated following the statement, here: https://lnkd.in/d3aAbtfM #SpringStatement #WelfareReform #Benefits #PersonalIndependencePayment #PIP #UniversalCredit

Standing Room only in parliament today for the StepChange Debt Charity strategy launch, aiming to be known now and in 2030 for a focus on client outcomes, being digital first, data-led and powered by experts, with evidence-led policy impact as a financially sustainable not-for-profit organisation. It's been great to see Policy in Practice work with Vikki Brownridge, Vanessa Northam, Peter Tutton, Richard Lane and many others here today to help their clients achieve over £200,000 in additional income for their clients as part of a pilot project which we can't wait to scale.

🖥️ Our webinar on "The efficiency imperative: driving impact via data driven outreach" will be starting shortly, at 10:30 am. 👉 If you've registered your interest via our LinkedIn event, please remember to finalise your registration here to be able to watch to webinar on our GoToWebinar platform: https://lnkd.in/dRzMbi4y We are looking forward to hearing from our guest speakers Nick MacAndrews from the Greater London Authority, Seth Pearson and Sarah Small from Darlington Borough Council #LocalGovernment #LocalAuthorities #Webinar #OutreachCampaigns

♿ Big changes to disability benefits are coming: What can councils do to help residents? The Government’s latest welfare reforms will tighten eligibility for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) while the LCWRA (Limited Capability for Work Related Activity) award will be frozen for existing claimants and halved for new claimants (from £97 to £50). These changes could leave over a million disabled people without essential financial support. In his latest article for Ann McGauran at TheMJ, our Founder and CEO, Deven Ghelani, explains the key changes, their impact and what councils can do now to prepare. Proactive engagement and targeted support will be crucial to helping residents navigate these reforms. 📖 Read the blog article here:  https://lnkd.in/dTxRdG8e 🗞️ Or on the MJ’s website here: https://lnkd.in/eaSh2eRu #WelfareReform #DisabilityBenefits #LocalGovernment #PIP #UniversalCredit