This meeting was about monitoring the work that had been done by the Shared Revenues and Benefits team at the council in the second quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year. The committee also received a report on a number of topics related to Non-Domestic Rates (business rates) and on the Cost of Living support that the council was providing.

Cost of Living Support

The committee received a report on the Cost of Living support that the council has been providing.

The report pack included the latest figures on the number of households in receipt of Universal Credit, which is a payment made by the UK Government to people who are on a low income or out of work. The report pack says that as of September 2024 there were 13,142 households in Lincoln and 8,475 households in North Kesteven in receipt of Universal Credit.

The committee also received an update on the rollout of the government's Universal Credit migration project. The report pack says that:

DWP issued a letter to local authorities on 12 November 2024, which stated the aim of issuing the last UC migration notices in early December 2025, so that all in scope customers could be moved to UC and close legacy benefits (where appropriate) by the end of March 2026.

The report pack also provided an update on the Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) scheme. DHPs are payments that can be made by local authorities in England and Wales to people who are struggling to afford their rent.

As of 30 September 2024, Lincoln Council had spent 60% (£79,321) of the £132,330 it had been allocated by central government to spend on the DHP scheme, whilst North Kesteven District Council had also spent 60% of its allocation, spending £51,838 of its £86,931 grant.

The report pack also provided an update on the Household Support Fund (HSF), which is a fund that was set up by the UK government to help people who are struggling to afford food, energy and other essentials. The report pack says that Lincoln Council and North Kesteven District Council had been allocated a total of £425,845.62 from the fifth wave of the fund, which ran from 1 April to 30 September 2024. Both councils had now been given an indicative allocation from the sixth wave of the fund, which runs from 1 October 2024 to 31 March 2025. Lincoln City Council has been allocated £296,862 and North Kesteven District Council has been allocated £204,093.

The report pack also contains information on the Winter Fuel Payments scheme, and on the Financial Inclusion work that the council has been doing in partnership with other organisations.

Performance Update

The report pack contains an update on the work of the Revenues and Benefits team for quarter 2 of the 2024/2025 financial year. This included information about the performance of the service against a number of different metrics.

The report pack says that:

The Revenues and Benefits Shared Service has now been in operation for thirteen years, forming on 1 June 2011. Levels of performance have largely been maintained and improved whilst continuing to provide value for money. Continual improvement and success is being achieved in terms of both statistical and financial performance, as well as positive outcomes for customers of the partner local authorities.

Revenues Performance

The report pack contains information about the amount of Council Tax and Business Rates that had been collected by the end of quarter 2, 30 September 2024. For example:

Up to the end of Quarter 2 2024/25, in-year collection for Lincoln is down by 0.20% and North Kesteven down by 0.36%.

Benefits Performance

The report pack also contains information on the number of benefits claims that were outstanding.

As at the end of Quarter 2 2024/25, there are 2,554 Benefits customers outstanding and awaiting assessment (split Lincoln 1,670, North Kesteven 884).

The report pack also contains information about the speed with which the Benefits team had processed new applications for Housing Benefit and changes of circumstances, and on the accuracy of payments.

Welfare and Benefits Advice

The report pack also contains information on the Welfare and Benefits advice that had been provided during the quarter:

In Quarter 2 2024/25, the team has achieved the following:

Quarter 2 2024/25	City of Lincoln	North Kesteven
Advice provided enabling weekly value of additional benefits	£8,907	£4,763
Advice provided enabling lump sum award of additional benefits	£81,342	£58,869
No. of customers to whom help provided	1,609	540
No. money advice referrals	34	23

Revenues and Benefits Financial Monitoring

The report pack contains an update on the Shared Revenues and Benefits team's budget for the 2024/2025 financial year. Overall:

The forecast outturn for 2024/25 predicts that there will be an overspend against the approved budget of £29,390

Business Rates Update

The committee received a report on business rates (Non-Domestic Rates - NDR). This report provided an update on a number of issues, including a number of changes that the UK Government had made to the way that business rates operate. The report pack describes the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Relief (RHL) scheme:

Properties that benefit from the relief for 2024/25 are occupied hereditaments that are wholly or mainly being used:

a) as shops, restaurants, cafes, drinking establishments, cinemas and live music venues; b) for assembly and leisure; or c) as hotels, guest & boarding premises and self-catering accommodation.

The report pack sets out the way the RHL scheme is changing and the impact that those changes have had.

The report pack also describes the impact of the government's decision to change the way that business rates multipliers are calculated from 2026 onwards. The report pack says that:

The most significant announcement for NDR in the budget was the announcement of alternative multipliers mentioned in paragraph 5.1, for qualifying properties from 1 April 2026.

The report pack also provides an update on the government's plans to transform business rates. The report says that:

This paper was published by the Treasury as part of the Budget papers. The Government wants to “create a fairer NDR system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century”.