Agenda item

BENEFITS SERVICE MONITORING REPORT AND UPDATE ON COUNCIL TAX SUPPORT\REDUCTION

Minutes:

Report FSD17057

 

Report FSD17057 outlined the performance of the benefit services provided by Liberata between 1st October 2016 and 31 March 2017. A letter from Liberata’s Contract Director appended to the report provided Liberata’s assessment of performance including an update on initiatives to be introduced in the coming months. Liberata were represented at the meeting for the item.

 

For the Council Tax Support/Reduction Scheme 2018/19, Members were asked to support an annual public consultation exercise commencing August 2017 based on the minimum contribution of working age claimants to a household’s Council Tax liability remaining at 25%.

 

In discussion it was confirmed that the level of monthly performance for processing new claims from July 2016 could be attributed to optional files received from the Department of Works and Pensions (DWP) and a large increase in work necessary at that time.

 

Concerning a financial error rate for the contractor set at less than 5% of cases, the tolerance was strict compared to many other authorities. The contractor remained within the tolerance throughout 2016/17. It was suggested that other local authorities would do well to follow the L B Bromley tolerance and possibly L B Bromley could set a 4% error rate. Liberata advised that 0% was the aim and there was a drive for no errors. 

 

The local authority is obliged to check 10% of financial assessments. It was not possible to provide figures on what the impact could be of errors but it was not thought they impact on discretionary payments. If overpayments are made through a local authority error, and it is not believed the claimant would have realised they were being overpaid, the payment is not expected to be recovered. Allowance is provided in the system for some non-recovery. 

 

For Liberata's Call Centre, it was noted that the abandonment rate for March 2017 stood at 7% compared to a 5% tolerance. However, a concentration of calls around the period for main Council Tax billing made the target particularly difficult. Resources had been positioned but the capacity was insufficient to cope with the volume of calls. However, with the introduction of self-serve, similar problems were not expected in future. Additional resources could also be provided to the contact centre in peak periods.

 

In regard to a hardship fund of £100k within the Council Tax Support/Reduction Scheme, it was highlighted that only about 25% of the fund had been spent. This amounted to £22k on 99 cases. A question was asked on how it might be possible to achieve better publicity coverage so that residents are aware of the fund;  it was explained that Citizens Advice and other advice agencies are made aware through meetings. 

 

A new claim with all information received could be processed within seven days. However, a number of claims were received without necessary details. Liberata were not aware of losing information and it was possible to process by self-serve reducing time. 

 

It was also possible to provide current information to future meetings.

 

Referring to data on the number of days to process new claims and change in circumstances, the Chairman noted that it was taking 100+ days to process 13 new claims and 184 cases of change in circumstance. The Chairman asked if the delay was due to the claimant not providing information or a problem with the Council/Liberata. The Chairman asked for a report on the matter at the Committee’s next meeting. 

 

RESOLVED that:

 

(1)  information within Report FSD17057 and the letter provided by Liberata at Appendix 1 to the report be noted;

 

(2)  a consultation exercise in August 2017 for the Authority’s 2018/19 Council Tax Support/Reduction scheme, based on the scheme being the same as currently in place, be supported i.e. the minimum contribution of working age claimants to a household’s Council Tax liability remaining at 25%;

 

(3)  a report be provided to the Committee’s next meeting on reasons for cases of new claims and change in circumstances taking longer than 100 days to process;  and

 

(4)  the Portfolio Holder be recommended to agree that the scheme to be recommended in the consultation exercise for the Authority’s 2018/19 Council Tax Support/Reduction scheme be the same as currently in place.

 

Supporting documents: