Memorandum by Halton Borough Council (CTB
9)
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Halton Borough Council has been invited to submit
this Memorandum to the Local Government Select Committee as it
has been cited in both Sir David Varney's Report, Service Transformation.
A better service for the citizens and businesses, a better deal
for the taxpayer (see appendix 1) and Sir Michaels Lyon's
Report, Lyon's Enquiry Into Local Government (see appendix
2). Both reports refer to Halton Council's Benefit Express Project
as best practice for the take up of Housing Benefit and Council
Tax Benefit.
1.2 THE BENEFIT
EXPRESS PROJECT
Halton Council's Benefit Express Project is
an innovative approach to reducing much of the bureaucracy attached
to the claiming of benefits. It is based on the principle of putting
the customer at the core of the service. The project developed
from the findings of a best value review of the service. The review
carried out in conjuction with all our stakeholders emphasised
the problem of the paper chase associated with the claim process
as the biggest barrier to customers claiming benefit. Since the
introduction of the Verification Framework, the amount of information
required from the customers is considerable. Whilst this no doubt
helps towards the prevention of fraud and error entering the benefit
system the converse is that it is a barrier to the claiming of
benefit.
In summary the service at Halton was restructured
as follows:
— The review of the service highlighted
that there were delay "hot spots" in the application
process. Delays are almost "in-built" into the process
of applying for benefits as claimants invariably either don't
have all the information to hand or omit sending important documents.
Councils therefore had to write to the customer asking for supporting
documentation to be supplied. Some customers would not reply,
some would reply after a period of time. Of those who did reply,
many did not include the correct evidence and the process of writing
started again. Not only did this lead to a delay in customers
receiving their entitlement it also led to frustration and confusion.
Halton Council decided that to cut through the process and would
arrange to visit customers in their homes rather than write to
them. A team of Visiting Officers was set up to explain at the
time of the home visit, what was required and, importantly, why
it was required. This alleviated the fear of many people, especially
pensioners who did not want to send pension books or saving books
in the post. The staff also helped the customer fill in the form
for although the claim form complies with recommendations of the
Plain English Society, it is still a very complicated form to
complete correctly.
Halton also decided, in an innovative move, to
equip the Visiting Officers with laptop computers linked directly
to the benefits system so that the claim could be processed in
real time and so provide the customer with an instant decision
in their home. This innovative software ensured that the claim
process was completed in full. To further speed up the process,
digital cameras were introduced, to enable the Visiting Officer
to capture electronically all the supporting evidence needed to
support the claim. The captured images were then downloaded into
the Council's Document Imaging system. This ensured that no evidence
had to be taken from the customer's home which naturally put the
customer at ease.
Instead of a claim being passed back and forth
between the Council and the customer, which often took up to six
weeks, a claim can now be processed at the time of the visit.
— The second part of the Benefit
Express Project involves a bus, which in essence offers the service
of a mobile office. The bus is located in key town centre locations.
It is staffed by Advice Officers and normally one or more key
stakeholders such as a Registered Social Landlord. Customers use
the facility to drop in and ask for advice and again any claim
to either Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit can be processed
instantly on line while the customer waits. This is a whole new
concept of taking the service to the customer.
1.3 Evidence.
— The Council's Revenues and Benefits
Division's performance has consistently achieved top quartile
performance, as measured by the Department of Work and Pensions,
since the introduction of the Benefit Express Project.
— Customer feed back has rated
the service at 98% total satisfaction.
— Feedback received from key stakeholders
and partners has been extremely positive and supportive.
2.1 OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
OUTLINED IN
THE LETTER
OF 8 MAY
With regard to the other recommendations, as
outlined in the letter dated 8th May 2007, the Council would reply
as follows.
2.2 The case for rebranding council tax benefit
as a "rebate"
The Council believes that this would remove
a barrier for people who view "benefits" as state aid
but "rebates" as legitimate tax savings.
2.3 Role and effectiveness of Government in
increasing council tax benefit uptake
The Government undoubtedly has a part to play
in the national uptake of Benefits. The Council would like to
see more national advertising campaigns on specific benefits at
specific times. Halton Council believes, however that local government
is best placed to turn national advertising campaigns into local
action. The Council can point to numerous take up campaigns it
has launched in conjunction with local partners to increase benefit
uptake. In addition to general uptake work, the interrogation
of the Council's benefit system enables specifically targeted
campaigns to be undertaken. At Halton Council Take Up campaigns
realise over £50,000 extra benefit per annum. It would be
advantageous for the government to develop a best practice database
for such campaigns and for this to be shared between all Local
Authorities.
2.3 The case for the for improvements to the
processing of pension credit claims to enable the Pension Service
to act as a portal to rebates for all callers, regardless of pension
credit eligibility, and to examine steps to improve data sharing
The Council welcomes any approach to one stop
entry into the benefits system. The Council works extremely closely
with the local Pension Service. Six staff of the Pension Service
visiting team are co located with Halton's Benefit staff, to ensure
a joined up approach to visiting. Halton Council would welcome
moves for entry into the benefits system to be undertaken by any
of the key stakeholders in benefits. For example, the Benefit
Express project could and should be utilised for people to apply
for all benefits not just those administered by the Council. The
Council operates four One Stop Shops in the Borough. These again
could be used at convenient town centre locations for people applying
for any benefit. At the present moment Halton Council integrates
its benefit system and targeted customers not claiming Pension
Credit. In 2006-07 this campaign realised an additional £200,000
in Pension Credits
Sharing data is essential. The Council does
this internally and has just streamlined the process of claiming
for Free School Meals by the effective use of data sharing. The
new process ensures that mutual customers do not have to apply
twice to the Council for different entitlements. It would, however,
welcome greater clarity regarding what can and cannot be shared
between both local and central government and the voluntary sector.
Technology has opened up the possibility of
sharing data electronically. Innovative data sharing would remove
the need for most formal applications made by older people. Data
could be drawn from social security and local authority sources
and subjected to a sophisticated matching process, enabling entitlement
to be calculated automatically. This approach is in line with
the recent government paper on information sharing in the public
sector.
2.4 The case for reform of Council tax eligibility
criteria
The Council would welcome the changing or abolition
of the savings limit in council tax benefit for pensioners as
this has been highlighted as a major barrier to effective claiming.
However, the Council is aware that there would be a cost to this.
Halton Council would like to see other areas of the Benefit system
considered especially in relation to non dependant deductions
and the steep tapers that effectively take claimants out of benefit
too sharply. Any reform of the capital limits must be costed in
relation to other parts of the system, which could be reformed
to give a more balanced approach to the claim process.
3. CONCLUSION
In conclusion Halton Council welcomes the initiatives
outlined in the Lyons Report for Council Tax Benefit. It hopes
that this short Memorandum illustrates that not only is reform
of the entitlement rules welcome, but the demonstrative success
of the Benefit Express Project suggests that a reform of the manner
in which benefits are administered should also be considered as
an effective way for benefit uptake.
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