PAPER B
ADULT
AND COMMUNITY SERVICES SELECT COMMITTEE - 8 NOVEMBER 2004
HOUSING AND COUNCIL TAX
BENEFITS IMPROVEMENT PLAN
REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR RESOURCES
REASON FOR SELECT COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
To update members on progress made on the action and improvement plans developed in response to the report by the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate and from the Best Value Review of the Benefits Service.
ACTION REQUIRED BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE
The Committee note the
progress achieved on the action plan and the improvement in processing times.
BACKGROUND
Following their inspection of the Council’s benefit service in July 2003 the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate made a number of recommendations that aimed to ensure that the benefit service became fully compliant with the benefit performance standards. In addition the Best Value review of benefits identified several areas for improvement.
An action plan was developed to implement both the BFI recommendations and Best Value improvements and on 15th April this committee approved this action plan and agreed to monitor progress on a six-monthly basis. An up to date version of the plan is attached at appendix 1.
To help us to meet all of the required actions assistance was obtained from the BFI performance improvement action team covering two of the standards, benefit overpayments and claim processing. In view of the progress made in these two areas the BFI have indicated that they do not consider it is necessary to continue their involvement.
The overall progress on the action plan was also highlighted by the CPA update for benefits which was completed in September by the BFI and identified that the service was meeting 94% of the performance standards as well as being within the DWP target of 36 days for processing new claims and 9 days for processing changes in circumstance.
The Department of Works and Pensions has recently announced that the performance standards are to be rewritten with a new version likely to be released in April 2005.
RELEVANT PLANS, POLICIES, STRATEGIES AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
CONSULTATION PROCESS
Extensive
consultation was carried out as a part of the Best Value Review. This included
a range of difficult to reach users each with different needs; Housing
Associations and private landlords; the Pension Service, Job Centre Plus, and
the Inland Revenue; support agencies
including
Age Concern; and Revenues and Benefits staff.
Ongoing updates of progress on the action plan are being given to
stakeholders.
FINANCIAL, LEGAL, CRIME AND DISORDER IMPLICATIONS
No extra resources are required to deliver the improvement plan
There are no specific legal or crime and disorder implications
APPENDICES ATTACHED
BACKGROUND PAPERS USED IN THE PREPARATION OF THIS REPORT
Benefit Fraud Inspectorate Report and Update Report
Contact Point: Mike Toney ' 823930 [email protected]
COUNCILLOR REG BARRY
Portfolio Holder for Resources