Support Rate Change v1

39 - Support Rate Change v1

Purpose

This bulletin advises caseworkers that the support level for children under 16 will change form 4 December 2000 and what action to take as a result. It also explains what actions have been taken in response to this change.

Scope

This change will affect both Assessment and Allocation immediately.

Action (Assessment)

Assessment should make any support calculations for groups including children under 16 using the new rate where appropriate. The current rate is £26.60. The new rate is £30.95. The voucher cycle means that any Regular Vouchers that are set up from 17 November will begin on 4 December or later. Therefore assessment should use the new rate with immediate effect for regular voucher calculations. The Supercal will be amended as soon as possible.

Emergency voucher calculations should be made using the current rate unless they are intended to cover a period beyond the 4 December. The voucher cycle means that the window for ordering Regular Vouchers on 4 December closes on 21 November. The Supercal presently calculates the correct amounts using the current rate. The Supercal will be amended to use the new rates for Emergency voucher calculations by 4 December. Assessment will not be able to provide a calculation for Allocation during the transition period because they cannot know when regular vouchers will start.

Action (Allocation)

Allocation should use the new support rate for any new regular voucher batches with immediate effect.

Where Emergency Vouchers are being calculated for any period up to and including 3 December the current rate should be used and the Supercal will calculate the correct amount. The voucher cycle means that the window for ordering Regular Vouchers on 4 December closes on 21 November so any calculations done before then should still be correct. If Emergency Vouchers have been or are being sent out for groups including children under 16 to cover a period ending 10 December or later the amounts will need adjusting. Specifically each child under 16 should receive an additional £4.35 for each complete week after 3 December that the vouchers are to cover. These cases should be very few at present.

The Supercal will be amended by 22 November so that it will correctly calculate emergency vouchers that cover dates before and after 4 December. Allocation will need to use this version for all cases on or after 22 December.

Action (ASYS)

SEMA have made a change to the ASYS system such that it has altered any orders for batches of regular vouchers that were set up before 15 November and will continue, or commence on or after 4 December where the group includes children under 16. Caseworkers examining ASYS will see that continuing batches have been split and changed effective 4 December. Batches already set up for the 4 December have been changed.

Remedial Action

Any regular voucher batches for groups including children under 16 that have been set up after 14 November will not be amended by the ASYS change. These will have to be amended manually. SEMA will be running a report on Monday 20 November to assist us in identifying these cases.