COUNCIL bosses have set aside an extra £100,000 to help smooth a shake-up in the benefits system.
The cash will be used to pay for staff overtime to deal with changes to council tax benefit, housing benefit and the move to Universal Credit.
The move was agreed at a meeting of Dacorum Borough Council’s cabinet, which was told of a number of initiatives designed to improve the benefits department.
Deputy leader Margaret Griffiths said: “There are some changes coming and this will affect all our customers.”
Council tax benefit will be abolished and replaced with a new ‘localised’ scheme while ‘under-occupancy rules’ will be introduced for those on housing benefit.
A ‘benefits cap’ is to be introduced and from October 2013 Universal Credit will replace Jobseekers’ Allowance, Income Support, Child Tax Credits, Working Tax Credits and housing benefit.