In April 2017 Policy in Practice releases the new version of our popular Universal Benefit and Budgeting calculator. We call it our UBBC for short.
The software will be faster, more accurate and easier to use. As well as receiving a beautiful makeover to the user interface, the calculator will be super-charged with new features and improved navigation.
These slides, from our launch webinar on Wednesday 15 March, detail some of the changes we have in store. They cover:
Brief introduction to Policy in Practice
The need for a benefit calculator
Evolution of our software
What’s new
Let’s look at 3 cases
Questions and answers
Next steps
5. Agenda
• Brief introduction to Policy in Practice
• The need for a benefit calculator
• Evolution of our software
• What’s new
• Let’s look at 3 cases
• Questions and answers
• Next steps
6. We make the welfare system
simple to understand, so that
people can make the decisions
that are right for them
7. Evolution of our software
• Built UCC to
help small
group in
Whitehall
• 30k+ hits
within 3
months
• Added
current
system for
first client, LB
Lewisham
• Helped 3x as
many
households
into work
• Fastest in the
market,
helped w2w
clients and
housing
associations
• Added
budgeting
module
• Data analysis
and broader
policy
coverage
• Modelling
CTRS
schemes
• Added DHP
calculator
• Collected four
years of
customer
feedback
• Decided to re-
build from
scratch
• Launch of
UBBC 3.0
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
8.
9. Background: why the upgrade?
• The welfare system is as complex as ever, and changing all of the time
• Broader than the current system, or UC - discretionary support, free school meals,
support for disabled people – desire to be comprehensive
• Flexibility for users, employment advisors and welfare rights experts across a range of
sectors (back to work, housing providers, local government)
• Greater demand for guidance, in addition to job search and links to local support
• Link into to our analytical tools, helping local authorities and others to target support to
individual households.
• Future proof the infrastructure and the UI for new integrations and modules
• A modern intuitive user experience
Search is only 5% solved – why stop now?
Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google
10. 101010
Poll 1: What are the most important
uses of a calculator for your
organisation?
12. Key concepts behind UBBC 3.0
Income
maximisation
Engaging and easy
to use
Action
oriented
advice
13. How these concepts are supported
Incomemaximisation
Accurate calculation
of benefit income
Individual actions for
maximising income
Budgeting that
shows where you
can make savings
Quick links to
benefit application
and job search
Engagingand
easytouse
Visual charts and
engaging User
interface
Compare different
scenarios side by
side
Benefit breakdown
for advocacy
Customised for
organisations and
advisors
Actionoriented
advice
Personalised action
list for user and
adviser
Better off calculation
linked to job search
Budgeting that
shows how to
reduce cost
Identify barriers and
sources of support
Calendar for UC
payments
14. Meeting the needs of your organisation
Better engagement between organisation and customers
Improve the situation of your customers
Decrease rent arrears
Increase income / revenue
Optimise staff time
Income maximisation
Engaging and
easy to use
Action oriented
advice
15. Meeting the needs of your clients
of tenants
require no
support
30% of clients
require some
support
50% of clients
require a lot
of support
(and take up
80% of staff
time)
20%
Source: Curo Group, 2017
18. Case 1: Abby
Abby is an unemployed single parent
who is considering returning to work
but concerned about childcare costs.
Will Abby be better off in work?
19. Case 2: Belinda and Carl
Belinda and Carl are a couple with 2
young children currently living with
their family. They want to move to their
own property but are not sure if they
can afford it.
What rent can Belinda and Carl afford?
20. Case 3: Deborah
Deborah is a single parent with 3
children. Another older child, and their
partner, also live at home. She has
moved to Universal Credit and doesn’t
understand why her household’s
income has reduced.
Why has Deborah’s household income
reduced?
How can she improve her situation?
21. Deborah
This is a more complex case and illustrates:
• How the calculator can be used to examine benefit levels in complex cases
• How the calculator supports the role of organisations in benefit support and
advocacy.
• This is of particular importance given the increasing amount of time that
organisations need to spend on this role under Universal Credit.
22. New features
• New features to meet the core roles of income maximisation, support and
engagement:
• Actions
• Barriers and support
• Budgeting calendar
• Prints
23.
24.
25.
26.
27. Clear, actionable print layouts
Select your scenario
Show current system or UC
Show information for advisor or user
Select print, email or download
• Assessment
• Detailed breakdown
• Actions
• Benefit actions and information
• Budget actions
• Support action
• Calendar
29. 292929
Poll 2: From a management
perspective what are the most useful
features of the software?
30. 303030
“Any software is only as good as its
implementation and the support we’ve had from
the team to bed in the new service has been a
massive benefit to us.”
Jemma Johnstone, Serco
31. 3131
“Our tenants are facing increased pressure on
their budgets as a result of welfare reforms. This is
one of the key reasons why we chose Policy in
Practice's Universal Benefit and Budgeting
Calculator software. It allows us to provide better
income and budgeting support to our tenants.”
Linda Tookey, First Wessex Housing Association
I founded Policy in Practice back in 2012 to help people to make the decisions that were right for them.
The biggest challenge in policy is not legislation or implementation, it is how policy is communicated and understood.
We model the policies of four different government departments combined, over 9,000 equations to show how policy affects the individual.
NB. Merge with slide 13 as appropriate
Poll 1: What are the most important uses of a calculator for your organisation?
1. Assisting claimant transfer to UC
2. Helping people in to work
3. Carrying out a pre-tenancy check
4. Improve customer’s circumstances
5. Helping advisers to engage with customers
Better engagement between organisation and customers
Improve the situation of your customers
Decrease rent arrears
Increase income / revenue
Optimise staff time
30% = self serve / guidance
50% = information and advice
20% = support and advocacy
To show speed of a simple calculation
To show scenarios to assist decision-making
To show slider
Illustrates use to organisations for getting people back to work
Case: Single parent with 3 children. Youngest is now 4 so she is looking at returning to work. In addition to the free childcare available for her 4 year old she will need wrap around care for the children. She is concerned that it will not be worthwhile returning to work.
Data input: DOB 1980
Children 2008, 2009, 2012
Private rent, 3 beds, £400/month
Scenario 1: no income
Scenario 2: Childcare £300/month. Job £15,000 30 hours
[5 mins]
To show:
Use to lettings
Budgeting – cover selection of databases
Scenarios
Surplus/deficit
Useful to organisations for sustainable lettings
Case:
Couple with 2 infants (boy and girl) currently living with family are wondering whether they could afford to live in their own place. Offered a HA tenancy but not sure if it will leave them with enough after rent and housing costs. He is disabled and she is his carer.
DOB 1980, 1980
Children DOB: 2017, 2016
User: Carers Allowance
Partner: ESA support/ DLA care middle
Scenario 1: no housing costs
Scenario 2: housing costs: 2 bed social rent, CT, Postcode(?), electricity, water rates, insurance
Scenario 3:
Scenario 4: offer same number beds in different locations
[10 mins]
To show:
More complex case
Use in support and advocacy
Discussion of actions and barriers
Using scenarios to change benefits to maximise income
The case: Single parent with 3 children and older child and their partner living in her home. She has moved to UC and doesn’t understand why her income has reduced. She works part time in a self-employed capacity.
DOB 1978
Child DOB 2001/2002/2003
Non-deps DOB: 1995 – 1. earning £150/week. 2. earnings £120/week
Earnings: self-employed working 20 hours week for £100/month
Rent £400/month social housing 4 bed
1st scenario: explain difference between current v UC showing MIF and non-dep changes
Discussion indicates that she is also caring for her parents who live near by for more than 35 hours/week. Her father receives DLA at the middle rate
Scenario 2: input CA. Show that if she claims CA her MIF will reduce and she can still carry on being self-employed for up to 16 hours/week.
Result:
Printout to show non-deps their expected contribution
Information on how to apply for CA
Actions agreed by adviser and user around claiming CA, updating her journal, talking with non-deps and arranging greater contributions.
Further meeting planned to check on actions and arrange arrears repayments.
[15 mins]
To show:
More complex case
Discuss actions and barriers
Using scenarios to change benefits to maximise income
To show:
More complex case
Discuss actions and barriers
Using scenarios to change benefits to maximise income
Poll 2: From a management perspective what are the most useful features of the software?
Ability to record and monitor customer’s outcomes
Management info to prove ROI and staff efficiency
Ability to save staff time
Maximising organisation revenue by helping customers make decisions
Providing debt and budgeting services in same conversation
Q: How long would a typical case take to assess?
Q: How long does it take to get started with this software?
Q: What customisations can you do for me?
Q: What training and support do you give for clients? Account management story: training (webinars, Olark) / on boarding / roll out / usage monitoring