Housing Benefit

Direction of Robin Tuddenham Chief Executive of the, Borough Council of Calderdale under the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (Electronic Communications) Order 2006 and Part 4, Paragraph 11 of Schedule 7 to the Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2012.

This page sets out the Council's legal obligation to publicly state our policy regarding electronic collection of data relating to Housing Benefit claims and Council Tax Reduction applications.

The Borough of Calderdale (the Authority) in accordance with: For Housing Benefit:

• Paragraph 2 of Schedule 11 to the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006
• Paragraph 2 of Schedule 10 to the Housing Benefit (Persons who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) Regulations 2006

For Council Tax Reduction:

• Schedule 1 Part 4 of the Calderdale Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2014

Hereby makes the following directions:

1. Providing the method approved by the Authority is used, electronic communication may be used in the following circumstances:

   • Making a claim for Housing Benefit and/or an application for a Council Tax Reduction
   • Amending a claim for Housing Benefit and/or an application for a Council Tax Reduction
   • Notifying a change in circumstances for a Housing Benefit claim and/or a Council Tax Reduction application
2. The methods approved by the Authority for using electronic communication are as follows:
   • The claim/application form used must be that which is on the Authority's website
   • The form must be completed in accordance with the instructions set out on the website
   • Any notification of a change in circumstances must be notified by completing the relevant form on the Authority's website
   • Any person sending an electronic communication to the Authority must clearly state their full name, full postal address date of birth and national insurance number. Any communication where the Authority is unable to authenticate the identity of the sender shall be deemed invalidly made
3. The Authority may accept digital photographic and scanned images of notices, forms, evidence, and information provided by a person where it has been verified by an officer of the Authority or its agent. Where it has not been verified the Authority may request to see the original where its authenticity cannot be corroborated by other means.
4. The person must keep a copy of any electronic communication, reference number generated, claim/application, certificate, notice, information, or evidence so that it can be produced where the Authority so requires. Failure to produce on reasonable request the evidence requested may be deemed to show that an electronic communication was not successfully made to the Authority.
5. The Authority's 'official computer system' for the purposes of recording information relating to electronic communications is owned, developed and managed by Calderdale Council for the Revenues and Benefits Service.
6. The Authority may require further information or original supporting evidence before the claim for Housing Benefit and/or application for a Council Tax Reduction can be assessed/revised. The Authority may verify claims/applications, certificates, notices, information or evidence by using third party systems and sources of information as well as by direct contact with a person using electronic communications or by some other means.
7. Any claim/application, amendment or notification received that:
   
   1. Does not conform to any of the relevant standards will be invalid
   2. Does conform to the above standard but is not accepted by the Authority's official computer system, is not regarded as having been delivered.
8. This direction may be withdrawn or amended at any time by the issue of a further

Signed by

Robin Tuddenham, Chief Executive

Date: 12th March 2018