Benefit Performance Monitoring 2004/ 2005

BOROUGH OF POOLE

COMMUNITY SUPPORT OVERVIEW GROUP

10TH MAY 2005

REPORT OF HEAD OF REVENUE & BENEFITS SERVICES

BENEFIT PERFORMANCE MONITORING

2004/ 2005

1. Purpose
2. This report provides Members with key performance information in relation to the administration of housing and council tax benefit. This includes Best Value Performance Indicators where appropriate and local performance indicators.

1.2. Members are asked to raise any questions with officers outside of the Overview Group.

1. Contents

2.1. The performance of the Benefit Service is broken down into 4 areas as detailed below. The details for 2004/ 2005 are given in appendix “A” followed by the graphs showing the monthly figures and last year’s final figures.

2.2. Processing of Benefits

2.2.1. Most of the Best Value PIs relate to the speed of processing. The time starts from when a claim is received at the Civic Centre and ends when the claim is processed. The PIs deal with new claims, changes in circumstances and renewals paid on time

2.2.2. The 14-day target is based in law and is a local target, this however starts from when all information has been received from the claimant.

2.2.3. The caseload is identified on the graph for information.

2.2.4. During the year we have steady progress in improving our performance. The Government standard is to process a new claim within 36 days and process a change of circumstance within 9 days.

2.3. Dealing with Customers

2.3.1. The reception area receives a large number of visitors a day. The section employs 5 part time staff to deal specifically with queries but this is supplemented by Benefit Assessors.

2.3.2. The graph deals with the number of visitors, number of correspondence received and number of complaints per month.

2.4. Overpayment Recovery

2.4.1. Overpayments of benefit can arise number of ways, from Fraudulent claims, to changes in circumstances being informed late. They can be recovered in; weekly instalments, from ongoing payments of housing benefit or from other state benefits. Levels of recovery from ongoing benefit are set by regulation.

2.4.2. This includes a graph as to the age of the debts outstanding. Some overpayments that are being recovered from state benefits can take some years to collect. We have maintained a steady overall balance of outstanding amounts during the year. However as the Performance indicator includes all arrears from 2000 onwards it was not possible to maintain the same percentage recovery.

2.5. Fraud

2.5.1. The section has 4 fraud investigation officers. They have been successful in identifying and preventing a number of frauds. We operate our own free phone hot line and receive referrals from members of the public, Dept. for Work and Pensions data matching and our own staff’s vigilance.

John Springett

Head of Revenue and Benefits Service

29th April 2005

Contact Officer

Brett Jones

Benefit Manager

Tel 01202 633143

Best Value Performance Indicators for the Benefit Service

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