Notes & Actions
Title of meeting: / Money Matters Working GroupDate: / 1 August 2016 – 12:00
Location: / Room 1.25 Caxton House, Tothill Street, London SW1H 9NA
Attendees:
Apologies: / Barry Wilford – East Midlands Later Life Forum (Chair)
Jenny Borritt – Communications Consumer Panel and Ofcom Advisory Committee on Older and Disabled People
John Cotcher – Age UK Manchester / PRAGMA
Mike Duggan - Civil Service Pensioners’ Alliance
Fiona Hague – Money Advice Service
Mark Henderson – DWP (Secretariat)
Elcena Jeffers MBE - Elcena Jeffers Foundation
Sharon Moore - Hanover Housing Association
Cressida Stanley-Williams – Hanover Housing Association
Douglas Stem – Foundations
John Welham - Future Years (Y&H Forum on Ageing)
Sally West – Age UK
Gilly Crosby – CPA
June Deasy – Council of Mortgage Lenders
Vivienne Gee - North West Age Action Alliance
Brian Newton – DWP National Employer and Partnership Team
Laurence Thraves – Alzheimers UK
1. Welcome & introductions
Barry welcomed everyone to the meeting and those present introduced themselves. The Group wished Sharon Moore a happy retirement and welcomed Cressida Stanley-Williams.
2. Money Advice Service: Financial Capability - the What Works Fund
Fiona Hague reported on the recent launch by MAS of a new £7 million fund in support of the UK Financial Capability Strategy,to help understand more about how to improve financial capability. The fund will be available to organisations to help them develop new approaches to improving financial capability and evaluate their projects. Over 400 expressions of interest have been received and MAS are now considering them. Fiona will keep the group updated. More information can be found at
3. Research project: “Older adults and cyber security”
Barry’s East Midlands Later Life Forum was recently approached by Dr. Neil Chadborn, who is working on a joint project between the University of Nottingham and the University of Stirling. The 18-month project aims to work with various stakeholders (including the police) in order to develop a cyber security toolkit for older people, and would like Barry’s Forum to act as a test group.
Action: Barry to circulate further details to the Group.
Jenny Borritt mentioned that the Communications Consumer Panel are currently conducting some research around digital security. Mike Duggan said it was still the case that some older people are very reluctant to use online services, and that more action is needed to help to allay peoples’ fears. John Welham agreed, saying that the language sometimes employed on websites (including DWP) is sometimes not user-friendly; furthermore, application processes need to be improved in that respect – people can find security questions difficult, for example.
Mark Henderson confirmed that he is currently in the process of revamping the DWP Pension Credit Toolkit, which will hopefully include revising some of the more complicated language within.
Sharon Moore then explained that Hanover Housing has recently taken on “Alternative Office” status, which gives them authority to act as an intermediary for their customers when dealing with DWP (for example, verifying forms when applying for Pension Credit, Attendance Allowance etc.). However,although some of their officers had been trained by DWP to check applications received, when they calledDWP for advice or clarification, they were not“recognised”because they were not on the“Apollo List”. It seemed as though some DWP staff are unaware of these other offices. The group thought this system would (in principle) be attractive to older people and wondered how many organisations currently have such accreditation.
Action:Mark to check whether DWP holds this information and how the list is being interpreted by DWP staff.
4. Round the table updates
- Mark gave an update on Pension Credit take-up, as the latest DWP figures (for 2014/15) had recently been published:-
- take-up of Guarantee Credit also remained relatively stable at around 68%; and
- take-up of Guarantee Credit continued to be higher than take-up of Savings
Credit only, which was estimated at 48%.
There followed a discussion around take-up, with members questioning why the number has remained static and why some people continue not to claim. Mark said that DWP was very much open to new ideas from the Group. Sharon said it was important to emphasise (to customers) the associated benefits that may be available through receipt of Pension Credit, such as Housing Benefit and the Warm Home Discount Scheme.
The Group agreed that they should continue to encourage PC take-up whenever they could.
- John Cotcher: working with BME groups to review course content from their perspective; continuing to develop new courses & workshops; and working on a “Societies Fair” to promote courses, which might use an approach similar to that employed by university societies during Fresher’s Weeks.
- Sally West: Age UK have been considering current issues around Attendance Allowance (devolution, Business Rates Retention consultation); State Pension age and the Cridland Review; and possible implications of Brexit (e.g. on State Pension recipients living in the EU).
- Douglas Stem: has been talking to lenders to develop solutions around an issue whereby some homeowners are turned down for equity release because their home is in disrepair (despite there being equity in the property).
- Sharon Moore/Cressida Stanley-Williams: working on a draft response to the AA Business Rates Retention consultation; making customers aware of the changes to the temporary absence rules in Housing Benefit & Pension Credit; and preparing for a big push on the Warm Home Discount Scheme in October.
- Mike Duggan: reviewing campaign activity post-Brexit and key priorities in the run-up to the 2020 General Election, e.g. State Pension, the social care agenda.
- Fiona Hague: MAS have been engaging with the Financial Conduct Authority on their Ageing Population Discussion Paper.
- Jenny Borritt: Ofcom recently produced some guidance on Powers of Attorney and third party bill management. More information can be found here:
- John Welham: Future Years has been setting up workshops to consider the key priorities of members (e.g. transport, health, loneliness, financial security); and has also been considering Brexit implications on areas like the NHS and care – particularly on EU-state care workers – and are meeting the local councillor with responsibility for such issues to discuss further.
- Elcena Jeffers: outlined the EJF “Buy the Money” Project and informed the group of her intention to bring the initiative to the Government’s attention. Barry said it would be helpful if Elcena could supply some written details about the project to the Group.
- Moyra Riseborough (unable to join the meeting due to a telephonyproblem at Caxton House, so sent an update via e-mail): the Workers Educational Association in the North East recently decided to establish a Branch which will concentrate on financial education. Theyrecently held a Conference where they tested out ideas with local people and which piloted some of their course ideas. There was huge interest in the ideas and confirmation that there is an urgent need, so they think the conference was very successful. The WEA works with disadvantaged people, including people in inner cities and rural areas of all ages and backgrounds, and provides accessible education for all on even the most difficult subject areas. They hope to have a formal Branch established this year in the North East. Members of the steering group who are partnering with them to do all of this work and to develop the Branch include Moneywise, members of their local credit union, the CEO of Newcastle upon Tyne CAB, the Newcastle Quality of Life Partnership and the Elders Council of Newcastle upon Tyne, independent financial consultant Bill Corcoran, psychologist and former DWP officer Jos Joures, Newcastle upon Tyne City Councillor Felicity Mendellson and Council officers.
5. AOB
- Barry asked if someone from the Pensions Operations side of DWP could be present at the next meeting.
issues they wish to raise in advance of the next meeting.
6. Next meeting:
Monday 14th November 2016, 12:00 – 14:00
Contact: / Mark Henderson - DWP (Secretariat)
Email: /
Direct line: / 0113 232 4384