HB contacts
If you need to contact us, here are the contacts according to subject matter (updated May 2012).
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 | Andrew Curphey | hbctb.subsidyqueries@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Automated Service Delivery | HBSDMP.WWEG@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 |
Manny Ibiayo | HBCTB.SUBSIDYQUERIES@DWP.GSI.GOV.UK |
| Benefit Subsidy Rent rebate subsidy limitation Funding towards Discretionary Housing Payments |
Andrew Curphey | hbctb.subsidyqueries@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Benefit Subsidy Payments – funding and allocation |
Andrew Curphey | hbctb.subsidyqueries@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Bulletins and circulars – distribution | DWP | HOUSING.CORRESPONDENCEANDPQS@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Change of circumstances (Regulations) | Jahnara Begum | Jahnara.Begum@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Change Program Deliverables | HBSDMP.WWEG@dwp.gsi.gov.uk | |
| Circulars - backdated copies | Tony Oldman | 020 7449 5403 Tony.Oldman@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Claim forms | Richard Grennan | HB-CTB.CLAIMSANDPAYMENTS@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Claims and payments | Richard Grennan | HB-CTB.CLAIMSANDPAYMENTS@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Council Tax Benefit | Dean Blower | Dean.Blower@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Customer Management System (CMS) | DWP | HBSDMP.WWEG@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Data protection issues | Carol Foster-Middleton | HB-CTB.CLAIMSANDPAYMENTS@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Decisions and appeals | DMA Leeds | dmaleeds.customersupportservices@dwp.gsi.gov.uk Fax: 0113 232 4841 |
| Discretionary Housing Payments - policy | Eugene Okonkwo | eugene.okonkwo@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| DWP/LAA Steering Group | Mont Goldman | 020 7449 5327 07776 497 289 Mont.Goldman@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Employee Authentication Service (EAS) | SHSVCS.NRA@DWP.GSI.GOV.UK | |
| Extended Payments – HB/CTB | Richard Grennan | Richard.Grennan@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Fraud and error policy – procedures | Fraud and error policy team | fraud-error-policy@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Good Practice Guide | Louise Hughes | 020 7449 5390 Performance-Framework@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Guidance Manual – updates |
Jahnara Begum |
Jahnara.Begum@dwp.gsi.gov.uk Richard.Metcalfe@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| HB Direct newsletter – content | Kath Murphy | Kath.Murphy@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| HB Direct newsletter – distribution | DWP | HOUSING.CORRESPONDENCEANDPQS@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| IB(IS) Reassessment Delivery | HBSDMP.WWEG@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 |
Sylvia Haslehurst | 07876 475 372 Sylvia.Haslehurst@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 CIS and ETD issues |
Wayne Norfolk or Paddy Wild |
0113 251 9012 Wayne.Norfolk@dwp.gsi.gov.uk 0113 232 7327 Paddy.Wild@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Housing Benefit Recoveries and Fraud (HBRF) Data Collection | Leigh Armstrong Data Delivery Team Information Directorate | 0191 216 2636 Leigh.Armstrong@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
LA Performance Team
|
Andy Munro – Government Office Regions: London, North West, Yorks & Humber, East Midlands. |
020 7449 5400 Andy.Munro@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Jane Perfect – Government Office Regions: South East, South West, East England, West Midlands, Wales, Scotland |
020 7449 5404 Jane.Perfect@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
|
| Engagement with local authorities on performance issues. | 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 |
| LA Transition Team | Darren Baker |
LA.UNIVERSALCREDITTRANSITION@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Local Housing Allowance | Eugene Okonkwo | eugene.okonkwo@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Maximum rent | Eugene Okonkwo | Eugene.Okonkwo@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Single Housing Benefit Extract collection (SHBE) | Leigh Armstrong Data Delivery Team Information 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 |
| Overpayments | HBandCTB.overpayments@dwp.gsi.gov.uk | |
| Pension Credit – interaction with HB/CTB. | Richard Grennan | Richard.Grennan@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Performance Development Team | Jacqueline Reed | 07770 844 176 Jacqueline.Reed@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Performance Framework | Louise Hughes | 020 7449 5390 Performance-Framework@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 |
| Rent and 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 |
| Size criteria |
Dave Jones |
Dave.Jones@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Shared accommodation 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 | Jahnara Begum | Jahnara.Begum@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Temporary Absence – two homes, prisoners | Jahnara Begum | Jahnara.Begum@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Temporary Accommodation | Joe Stacey | Joseph.Stacey@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
| Uprating | Richard Grennan | Richard.Grennan@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.
