HB contacts
If you need to contact us, here are the contacts according to subject matter (updated February 2010).
This contact list is for enquiries about Housing Benefit (HB) and Council Tax Benefit (CTB) policy only. The contacts listed below do not have information about HB or CTB claims.
If you are looking to make a claim, or have a query relating to a specific claim, please contact your Local Authority.
HB discussion/chat room details are also available at the bottom of this page.
| Subject area | Name | Contact details |
|---|---|---|
| Administration Subsidy | Aeon Channer |
020 7449 5378 Aeon.Channer@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Backdating | Richard Grennan | HB-CTB.CLAIMSANDPAYMENTS@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Benefit Subsidy General Benefit Subsidy queries Subsidy for Non HRA rent rebates Subsidy for backdated claims Subsidy for discretionary local schemes Subsidy for LA error overpayments Benefit subsidy transitional protection |
Dave Marley | Dave.Marley@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Benefit Subsidy Rent rebate subsidy limitation Discretionary Housing |
Aeon Channer |
020 7449 5378 Aeon.Channer@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Benefit Subsidy Payments – funding and allocation |
Aeon Channer | 020 7449 5378 Aeon.Channer@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Policy for engagement and liaison with CLG, Scottish Government, Welsh Assembly Government, audit bodies and other parts of DWP on relevant wider local government strategies. Lead on local Government efficiency agenda for HB. | Barry Dennett | 020 7449 5382 Barry.Dennett@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Darren Baker | 020 7449 5375 Darren.Baker1@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
|
| Change of circumstances (Regulations) | Jahnara Begum | Jahnara.Begum@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Child Support/Maintenance | Tony Browne | 020 7962 8584 Tony.Browne@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| HB/CTB Bulletins and Circulars – Distribution | CDS Orderline | 0113 399 4040 orderline@cds.co.uk |
| HB/CTB Circulars - Backdated copies | Tony Oldman | 020 7449 5403 Tony.Oldman@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Claim Forms | Eugene Okonkwo | HB-CTB.CLAIMSANDPAYMENTS@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Claims and Payments | Richard Grennan | HB-CTB.CLAIMSANDPAYMENTS@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Customer Management System (CMS) | HBSDMP.WWEG@dwp.gsi.gov.uk | |
| HB/CTB Data Protection Issues | Phillip De Souza | HB-CTB.CLAIMSANDPAYMENTS@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Decisions and Appeals | DMA Leeds | dma-office-support-l@dwp.gsi.gov.uk Fax: 0113 232 4841 |
| Discretionary Housing Payments - Policy | Eugene Okonkwo | eugene.okonkwo@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Employment and Support Allowance and interaction with HB/CTB | Christine Watkins | Christine.Watkins@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Extended Payments - HB/CTB | Amanda Elias | Amanda.Elias@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Fraud and error policy and procedures | Fraud and error policy team | fraud-error-policy@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Good Practice Guide | Valerie Hunt | 020 7449 5391 Performance-Framework@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| HB Guidance Manual – Updates | Amanda Elias | amanda.elias@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| HB Direct newsletter - Content | Kath Murphy | Kath.Murphy@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| HB Direct newsletter - Distribution | CDS Orderline | 0113 399 4040 orderline@cds.co.uk |
| In and out of work pilots | Ben Aylott | Ben.Aylott@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Income and Capital -including earnings and War Pension local scheme (but not student income/capital) | Richard Metcalfe | Richard.Metcalfe@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| HB Information Flows Programme (IT links between DWP/Local Authorities) Programme Manager |
Peter Madden | 07770 211794 Peter.Madden@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| HB Information Flows Programme (IT links between DWP/Local Authorities) Security |
David Wright | 020 7449 5350 07769 912 462 David.Wright1@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| HB Information Flows Programme (IT links between DWP/Local Authorities) Lead on Provision of Tax |
Paddy Wild |
0113 232 7327 Paddy.Wild@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| DWP/LAA Steering Group | Mont Goldman | 020 7449 5327 07776 497 289 Mont.Goldman@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| LA/Jobcentre Plus Liaison (including process changes e.g. SOM V2) |
Colin Heward | 0121 626 2127 HBSDMP.WWEG@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
LA Performance Team
|
Andy Munro - Government Office Regions: London, North West, Yorks & Humber. |
020 7449 5400 Andy.Munro@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Jane Perfect - Government Office Regions: North East, East Midlands, South East, South West. |
020 7449 5404 Jane.Perfect@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
|
| - Government Office Regions: Wales, West Midlands, Scotland, East England. |
020 7449 5400 andy.munro@dwp.gsi.gov.uk 020 7449 5404 Jane.Perfect@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
|
| Local Housing Allowance | Eugene Okonkwo | eugene.okonkwo@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Local Area Agreements for 2008/9 onwards | Andy Munro | 020 7449 5400 Andy.Munro@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Maximum Rent | Eugene Okonkwo | Eugene.Okonkwo |
| MIS Data Collection - HBRF |
Coral Smart Housing Benefit Information Delivery Information Directorate |
0191 216 2837 Carol.Smart@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Single HB Extract Collection | Leigh Armstrong Housing Benefit Information Delivery Directorate |
0191 216 2636 Leigh.Armstrong@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Membership of the family - HB/CTB. |
Jahnara Begum | Jahnara.Begum@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Support for Mortgage Interest. Existing legislation for home owners with housing costs on IS/JSA (IB)/ESA | John Kyriacou Phillipa Fallowfield Tim Roscamp |
John.Kyriacou@dwp.gsi.gov.uk Phillipa.Fallowfield@dwp.gsi.gov.uk Tim.Roscamp@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Non dependant deductions in IS/JSA(IB)/ESA(IR)/SPC and HB/CTB | Jahnara Begum | jahnara.begum@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| HB/CTB Overpayments | Jane Autherson | Housing Benefit Strategy Division Room 4S25 Quarry House Quarry Hill Leeds LS2 7UA Tel: 0113 232 7755 Fax: 0113 232 4177 Jane.Autherson@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Pension Credit and interaction with HB/CTB. | Christine Watkins | Christine.Watkins@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Performance Development Team | Alan Sullivan | 07770 543 364 PDT@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Performance Framework | Louise Hughes | 020 7449 5390 Performance-Framework@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Performance Standards Fund | Maxine Leyland | 020 7449 5394 Maxine.Leyland@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Personal Allowances & Premiums | Richard Metcalfe | Richard.Metcalfe@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| People from abroad and asylum seekers | Ursula Brennan | 020 7449 5257 Ursula.A.Brennan@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Practitioners Operations Group (POG) | Mont Goldman |
020 7449 5327 07776 497 289 Mont.Goldman@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Quarterly performance monitoring – Claims processing | Andy Munro | 020 7449 5400 Andy.Munro@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Quarterly performance monitoring – Security | Jane Perfect | 020 7449 5404 Jane.Perfect@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| HB/CTB Rapid Reclaim | Carol Foster-Middleton | HB-CTB.CLAIMSANDPAYMENTS@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Rent, Rent liability Eligible rent rules including social sector and pre 1996 rules with exempt accommodation |
Dave Jones | Dave.Jones@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Royal Mail – Do Not Re-direct | James Ablewhite | James.Ablewhite@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| 2nd Adult Rebate and Council Tax specific issues | Jane Autherson | 0113 232 7755 Jane.Autherson@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| HB Sanction for anti-social behaviour | Clare Mitton | 020 7449 5336 Clare.Mitton@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Size Criteria |
Dave Jones |
Dave.Jones@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Shared room rate and single room rent restrictions. Service charges |
Dave Jones |
Dave.Jones@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Students, regs regarding treatment of income and eligibility to claim | Jahnara Begum | Jahnara.Begum@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Tax Credits, interaction with HB/CTB Temporary Absence (Two homes, prisoners) |
Jahnara Begum | Jahnara.Begum@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Temporary Accommodation | Joe Stacey | Joseph.Stacey@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Uprating | Ben Aylott | Ben.Aylott@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
Discussion
Local Authority officers may find it useful to discuss HB/CTB administration with colleagues from other authorities or the IRRV offers a Forum Service and Benefits Advisory Service which offers practitioners a technical query service. Here are the links to these independent sources of advice:
HBInfo website: www.hbinfo.org/
IRRV: www.irrv.net/forums/
The DWP is not responsible for the contents or reliability of the message boards and linking to them should not be considered as an endorsement of any kind. We also have no control over the availability of these message boards.
