Issue - meetings

Report FSD19086

The Committee considered a report providing information regarding Liberata’s performance in the provision of Exchequer Services for the period 1^st October 2018 to 31^st March 2019.  A letter from Amanda Inwood-Field, Liberata’s London Regional Contract Director, provided an update on each individual service along with statistical data relating to the services was included within the report.

The Chairman suggested that it may be helpful for the report to have a table setting out the amount received by the Council and outstanding debt  for the year.  Noting that the performance reports considered by the Committee by necessity reflected data that was a few months out of date, the Chairman noted that it was helpful to have up-to-date information presented at the meeting as often performance had improved in the intervening period.

Members discussed the need to minimise the use of cheques due to the higher costs associated with this form of payment.  The Assistant Director (Exchequer Services) reported that often cheques were used to issues domiciliary care refunds to members of the public however, Officers were looking to make it an exception that payments were made by cheque.  Where the Service had bank details payment would be made by BACS and it was anticipated that there would be a trend toward BACS refunds as more users moved toward direct debit.  The Committee recommended that the Service should ask all service users to provide their bank details.

In respect of nightly paid accommodation charges, and the effects of Universal Credit on the level of Housing Benefit payments, the Committee noted that it was difficult to qualify the cost of delays due to DWP processes due to system restrictions that were in place.  Exchequer Services were working with Housing to implement a new system and it was anticipated that the system would go live in October.  The Director of Finance confirmed that due to issues that had been identified with universal credit in this respect, anyone in temporary accommodation would transfer from Universal Credit to Housing Benefit.

Members noted that in order to ensure a standard methodology for undertaking quality checking Liberata’s Quality and Appeals (QA) team were made independently responsible for carrying out quality checking of the  assessments undertaken by the Financial Assessment team following concerns raises by the Exchequer Client Unit.

RESOLVED: That:

1. The report be noted; and

2. The Service be recommended to ask all service users to provide bank details.