Council tax

The request was successful.

To whom it may concern,

Please can I request the following information under the Freedom of Information Act:

1a) In £, the total amount of Council Tax which was unpaid, by municipal year from 2012/13 and including any arrears in 2018/19 to date);

1b) The total amount of Council Tax, in £, which was owed but never paid by Universal Credit claimants since 2012/13 (broken down by municipal year and including any arrears in 2018/19 to date);

1c) The number of households in receipt of Universal Credit which are currently in arrears on their Council Tax;

2) Since the national introduction of Universal Credit from 2013 onwards, has your authority had to reduce the number of housing officers dealing with benefits queries because of a reduction in government funding? If so, please provide figures for government funding (in £) and staffing numbers (in Full Time Equivalents) before and after these reductions.

If my request cannot be met within cost limits, please can you provide me with advice on how I may refine my request,

Yours faithfully,

Claire Wilde

NoReplyFOI, Worcester City Council

Dear Claire Wilde

 

Please accept our apologies for the delay in getting back to you within 20
working days. The officers concerned are working on your request, but have
notified us that there will be a delay. You shall receive a response as
soon as possible. Your reference number is FOI-1819553.

 

Kind Regards,

 

John Stolton

Corporate Policy and Strategy Team

Worcester City Council

 

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NoReplyFOI, Worcester City Council

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Our Ref: FOI-1819553

 

Dear Claire Wilde,

 

FOI Reference: FOI-1819553

 

Thank you for your below request for information submitted to Worcester
City Council on 18 March 2019 which has been handled under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000.

 

Response:

1.    

a.   In £, the total amount of Council Tax which was unpaid, by municipal
year from 2012/13 and including any arrears in 2018/19 to date); 

2012/13 - £89,858.18

2013/14 - £146,006.46

2014/15 - £178,044.52

2015/16 - £209,695.79

2016/17 - £209,764.88

2017/18 - £316,681.02

2018/19 - £826,140.33

b.   The total amount of Council Tax, in £, which was owed but never paid
by Universal Credit claimants since 2012/13 (broken down by municipal year
and including any arrears in 2018/19 to date); 

2012/13 - £981.70

2013/14 - £2,673.65

2014/15 - £2,024.81

2015/16 - £3,463.65

2016/17 - £4,371.69

2017/18 - £4,202.63

2018/19 - £14,383.25

c.    The number of households in receipt of Universal Credit which are
currently in arrears on their Council Tax;  - 65

 

2.   Since the national introduction of Universal Credit from 2013
onwards, has your authority had to reduce the number of housing officers
dealing with benefits queries because of a reduction in government
funding? If so, please provide figures for government funding (in £) and
staffing numbers (in Full Time Equivalents) before and after these
reductions. – The number of housing officers employed by Worcester City
Council has fluctuated over the past 6 years inline with the funding
received. It should be noted that the Council has never had dedicated
housing officers to specifically to deal with benefit enquiries.

 

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the
right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be
submitted no later than two months from the date of our response to your
original request. These requests should be sent in writing to the
following address:

 

The Corporate Policy and Strategy Team

Worcester City Council

The Guildhall

High Street

Worcester

WR1 2EY

 

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information
Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9
5AF. If you have any queries about this request please do not hesitate to
contact us. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any
future communications.

 

Yours sincerely,

John Stolton

Corporate Policy and Strategy Team

Worcester City Council

 

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Worcester City Council - delivering excellent services for Worcester

 

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References

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1. http://www.worcester.gov.uk/