| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
WORK AND PENSIONS
Agency Business Plans 2005–06
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Alan Johnson):
I am today able to announce the annual performance targets in 2005–06 for each of the executive agencies of the Department for Work and Pensions.
24 Mar 2005 : Column 95WS
The targets I have agreed are set out below.
Further information on the plans of each of the businesses in 2005–06 is contained in their individual business plans which have been published today. Copies have been placed in the Library.
This excludes performance in the seven Jobcentre Plus Districts piloting a new Job Outcome Target (JOT) measure. As the existing target and the new JOT are completely different measures of performance, it is not appropriate to include the pilot areas in the national target. By way of comparison, the 2004–05 target would have been 6,580,647 points had the seven Districts been excluded. The pilots will be set separate performance targets.
By March 2006, to reduce losses from fraud and error in working-age Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance to no more than 5.2 per cent. of the monetary value of these benefits paid during the year.
To ensure that at least 84 per cent. of employers placing their vacancies with Jobcentre Plus have a positive outcome.
To achieve an 81 per cent. customer service level in the delivery of the standards set out in the Customers' and Employers' Charters.
To ensure that specified key Jobcentre Plus business processes are delivered efficiently, accurately and to specified standards in 90.3 per cent. of cases checked 2 .
Targets for benefit processing and job-broking (cost per job entry point) are being finalised and will be published after the Easter recess.
1 This target is measured by a points score system, which focuses efforts and resources on helping people in priority groups into work such as lone parents and Incapacity Benefit customers. For each person that Jobcentre Plus helps into work, it earns from one up to 12 points. For example, earning one point for already employed customers to 12 points for a customer with a health condition or disability in receipt of an inactive benefit. 2 These processes are: Income Support accuracy, Jobseeker's Allowance accuracy; Incapacity Benefit accuracy; Labour Market Interventions; attendance at an independent assessment following a Basic Skills referral; action taken with lone parent customers who are due a review/trigger Work Focused Interview.
Reduce losses from fraud and error in Pension Credit, with a 20 per cent. reduction by 2006 against the 2001–02 Minimum Income Guarantee baseline.
Ensure that 92 per cent. of telephone calls to The Pension Service Centres are answered by Customer Advisors and less than 1 per cent. of attempted telephone calls receive the engaged tone or message.
Issue Winter Fuel Payments for 2005–06 (all automatic payments, and successful claims received before 24 September 2005) by Christmas 2005.
3 Complex claims are claims to State Pension from customers who have been widowed or divorced and the spouse's National Insurance contributions are taken into consideration.
The performance targets for 2005–06 will focus on progressing CSA's priorities. The targets set out below, with the exception of the debt target which is new, have been rolled forward from 2004–05. Ministers will review the overall package of targets once the new Chief Executive is in post and has had a chance to develop more detailed plans for the delivery of the child support service in 2005–06. Revised targets resulting from this review will be published as appropriate later in the year.
| Case compliance | By 31 March 2006 to be collecting child maintenance and/or arrears from 78 per cent. of all cases with a maintenance liability using the collection service. | |||
| Cash compliance | By 31 March 2006 to be collecting 75 per cent. of child maintenance and/or arrears due to be paid through the collection service. | |||
| Accuracy | By 31 March 2006 accuracy on the last decision made for all maintenance calculations checked in the year to be correct to the nearest penny in at least 90 per cent. of cases. | |||
| Debt | To collect arrears equivalent to 30 per cent. of the amount accruing between 1 April 2005 and 31 March 2006. | |||
| Unit Costs | Achieve a cost per case of £202.
24 Mar 2005 : Column 97WS The average waiting time for an appeal to be heard will be no more than 11 weeks from the time of receipt by the Appeals Service 4 ; The number of cases over 20 weeks old as at 31 March 2006 will be at the same level, or lower, than the projected number as at 1 April 2005 (It is assumed that the number of cases over 20 weeks old as at 1 April 2005 will reflect delivery of our 2004–05 target of a 15 per cent. reduction in these cases); 4 and For cases returned by the Commissioner, the average waiting time for an appeal to be re-heard will be no more than eight weeks from the date of return to the Appeals Service. 5 4 Excludes stayed cases awaiting decision in lead cases in a higher court (the effective date will commence from withdrawal of stay being notified). 5 Excludes cases requiring further evidence.
|