Analysis of ASW23, new research for MSE and AI in employment support

Top stories

1. Our new analysis of unclaimed Attendance Allowance finds that 1.1 million pension age households could be missing out on ￡5.2 billion of Attendance Allowance a year. Money Saving Expert commissioned this work from Policy in Practice and featured it in their step by step application guide
2. The Autumn Statement gave respite to low income families via the unfrozen Local Housing Allowance, 6.7% uprating to benefits and investment in Universal Support. However, after a decade of cuts and the cost of living crisis, our analysis finds that reforms need to go further
3. Older people on low incomes in Cornwall are missing out on support worth ￡131 million as we head into winter. Cornwall Council is working hard to close this gap and has put ￡1.5 million so far via data led campaigns, as we told BBC Radio Cornwall
4. Haringey Council helped 95 NEETs find jobs and increased take up of free childcare for 2 year olds to 70% using its data. With September's economic inactivity rate at 21.1%, higher than before Covid, the government is tackling barriers to work with more support as well as stricter conditionality. This, together with AI, will see demand for employment support services grow and change

New study launched to investigate links between poverty and child welfare

We have received a Nuffield Foundation grant to study the links between financial precarity and child welfare. In partnership with Kingston University, the project will link anonymised financial and benefits data with children’s services data to understand the role of poverty in children’s social care for six local authorities. The findings will inform the development of joined up social policies that improve families’ financial circumstances and child welfare.

Read our blog outlining the project's aims and see how local authorities can join

Winter webinars

Replay: Policy review of 2023 and what 2024 may hold

On demand

Listen back to hear our policy analysts review 2023's policy changes and big issues. We shared the positive impact that organisations we work with are having, and gave practical solutions that others can adopt.

Listen back

?

Register: How the debt sector is connecting people to support

Wednesday 31 January, 10.30 to 11.45

Join us to hear how problem debt is affecting families as the cost of living crisis continues and how the sector is responding. Guest speakers from our new partners DebtStream and Lightning Reach will join our policy experts.

Register

Public Finance Awards 2023 recognises London wide Pension Credit campaign that made pensioners ￡8 million better off

We were proud to be shortlisted in the Digital Finance Project of the Year category for our work alongside the Greater London Authority and Age UK London helping London pensioners increase their income by ￡8 million.

Latest speaking appearances: Discussing the power of AI in the job search and maximising income in our November events roundup

ERSA Conference 2023: AI powered job search: Strategies for job coaches

We were delighted to speak in this breakout session exploring how job seekers and organisations can use AI to level the employment playing field.

View the slides.

MALG Conference 2023: The cost of living on the breadline: Income maximisation to make ends meet

We spoke at the MALG Conference about how to support households before they get into debt, supporting those in debt for the first time and what organisations can do to maximise income as prevention.

Utility Week Consumer Vulnerability and Debt: Using data to improve social tariff take up

We exhibited at the Utility Week Consumer Vulnerability and Debt conference in Birmingham. We spoke to delegates about how we're helping utility companies to get customers onto social tariffs using our data.

Read about Anglian Water and their direct award process that helps to streamline the customer journey.

This month's blog posts

• New analysis: People of pension age may be missing out on ￡5.2 billion
• Autumn Statement 2023: Benefit houses gain ￡5.65 a month but 30% more fall into negative budgets
• Autumn Statement 2023: Will increases to the Local Housing Allowance reduce homelessness
• Autumn Statement 2023: Support versus sanctions: how can we best help people into work?
• Autumn Statement 2023: Uprating benefits – the long view
• Autumn Statement 2023: A step forward after many steps back
• Universal Credit Managed Migration: What does it mean for local authorities, advice agencies and housing providers?

Our 12 Days of Christmas campaign is underway

To help you get into the holiday spirit read all the good news stories as they are revealed each day.

Jobs at Policy in Practice

Want to join us? If you share our passion for using data and technology to change lives, we'd love to hear from you. See our latest vacancies:

• Senior Marketing Executive
• Senior Research Analyst
• Customer Account Executive
• Engineer

Join our talent pool to hear about future opportunities visit policyinpractice.co.uk/jobs.