Further information from DWP (PC 01B)
"It would be useful to have details of
IT developments in relation to the Pension Service. In particular,
we are interested in the new IT functionality that was delivered
to existing DWP systems when Pension Credit was introduced and
in the Pensions Transformation Programme. I see also that the
Public Accounts Committee's 12th report of 2002-03 and the recent
Link-Age document refer to IT developments. If possible, it would
be useful to have details of these projects (eg the stage they
are at and any review process they have gone through) and of any
business case conducted in relation to them."
RESPONSE
Pension Credit
The functionality to support Pension Credit
application processing and payment was added to an existing DWP
IT system in two phases during April and October 2003. The whole
of the Department's IT estate was affected, to a greater or lesser
extent, by the introduction of Pension Credit. The benefit of
using the existing system for payments was that the system performed
assessments similar to Pension Credit requirements and had sufficient
capacity.
A separate IT system (known as the Pension Credit
Front End) was developed to cover the initial telephone application
process for Pension Credit. The system enables staff to take all
the necessary details from a customer when they telephone to apply
for Pension Credit by prompting agents to ask the right questions
through the use of "intelligent scripting". The application
line provides guidance to staff, excellent customer service (measured
through waiting times, length of calls and seamless service) and
is flexible enough to respond to peaks of call activity. The development
of this application won the "Best Customer Relationship Management
Project in the Public Sector" award at the 2004 CRM Industry
Awards.
The Pensions Transformation Programme (PTP)
The Pension Service has embarked on a strategic
business transformation programme, which will fundamentally improve
the way services are delivered to customers. The IT developments
to support this change will allow customers to transact more of
their business at a single point of contact, including over the
telephone, thereby eliminating the need for customers to provide
the same information more than once. These IT developments will
provide a more user friendly, joined up interface with existing
benefits processing systems, and are being introduced into the
business in a series of staged waves beginning in August 2005.
These changes will be complemented by the introduction
of a new Computer Information System which will act as a central
Departmental repository for customers' personal data. This will
provide staff with access to a customer's up to date personal
data, eliminating the need for the customer to repeat previously
provided information. The Customer Information System will also
reduce the need for so much data capture in other businesses by
sharing the most up to date details held by the Department.
Public Accounts Committee 12th Report
This report deals with a number of generalised
IT issues. It is possible to make some Pensions-specific comments:
— Modernisation process and use of
Windows—The programme to roll out Windows-based PCs across
the Department, including The Pension Service, is complete. Both
the Pension Credit Front End and Pensions Transformation Programme
IT system utilise Windows.
— IT systems that talk to each other
across benefits—The Pensions Transformation Programme will
provide a "customer view" of the data, thus integrating
Retirement Pension and Pension Credit at the customer level.
— Get better information through to
Housing Benefit sections by providing Remote Access Terminals—Local
Authorities administer Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit and
require access to certain key items of Pension Service data to
enable them to process these benefits efficiently. The transfer
of information between The Pension Service and local authorities
is therefore of vital importance to the administration of Housing
Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.
Currently there are approximately 730 local
authority Remote Access Terminals supporting 4,000 users in 408
different local authorities. The local authority Remote Access
Terminal system allows local authority users to access specific,
controlled Department for Work and Pensions Legacy System Dialogues
that provide information relevant to Housing Benefit and Council
Tax Benefit.
With the introduction of Pension Credit, The
Pension Service now provides local authorities with an electronic
transfer of data facility. When a customer who is applying for
Pension Credit or reporting a change in circumstances has entitlement,
or potential entitlement, to Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit
information is transferred electronically, via the Remote Access
Terminal, to local authorities. This information is transferred
within 48 hours of The Pension Service processing the application
or the change.
Link-Age
The Link-Age document is a consultation document
and the consultation period ends on 26 November 2004. The responses
will subsequently be analysed in detail and will be used to inform
the forthcoming Older People's Strategy document that is expected
to be published around the turn of the year. We will continue
to explore the potential for IT improvements and data sharing
between central and local government, ensuring consistency of
approach between the Link-Age and Pension Transformation projects.
November 2004
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