5 September 2005 - Inspections focus on authorities that take too long to process claims and do too little to tackle fraudsters
The latest BFI programme will concentrate on councils that take more than seven weeks to process new claims for Housing Benefit. It will also focus on others that did not successfully prosecute many fraudsters in 2004/05. Another council that did not submit any performance information to the Department for Work and Pensions for 2004/05 will also be inspected.
James Plaskitt, the Minister with responsibility for Housing Benefit and countering fraud said today: “Many customers are let down by slow benefits services. This causes uncertainty and can deter people from moving into work. BFI inspections in this programme will therefore include 7 councils that take longer than most to process claims for housing benefits.”
These councils are: Braintree District Council, Fenland District Council, Isle of Anglesey County Council, London Borough of Newham, London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Manchester City Council, Thurrock Borough Council.
Mr Plaskitt also said “Councils have a duty to safeguard the system against fraudsters as well as improve their services to customers. I am concerned that some councils do too little to penalise and deter fraudsters and in comparison to their caseload have applied a small number of sanctions including successful prosecutions in 2004/05.”
BFI will, therefore, inspect the security and counter-fraud arrangements in 12 councils: Bath and North East Somerset, Durham City Council, East Lothian Council, Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Council, Hastings Borough Council, Highland Council, Leicester City Council, Neath and Port Talbot County Borough Council, Newport City Council, North East Derbyshire District Council, Rother District Council and Woking Borough Council.
Also, St. Edmundsbury Borough Council, which has not sent performance data to the Department for Work and Pensions will be inspected to determine its performance in claims processing and customer service.
BFI is an independent unit within the Department for Work and Pensions that inspects and reports directly to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the standard of benefits administration and counter-fraud activity in councils and the Department.
James Plaskitt announced the latest BFI programme of work in a written ministerial statement.
Notes to editors
- BFI was launched in November 1997 as part of the Government’s initiatives to reduce the high levels of fraud in the social security system. BFI inspects the effectiveness and security of benefits administration within the Department for Work and Pensions and local authorities. It is part of the Department but operates independently of those responsible for administering benefits and reports directly to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. BFI’s reports are published to promote good practice.
- The Department for Work and Pensions seeks to ensure customers receive a high quality service, including high levels of accuracy. Targets have been agreed with the Treasury to reduce the average time taken to process a Housing Benefit claim to no more than 48 days nationally and to no more than 55 days in the bottom 15% of local authorities, by March 2008. There are also targets to cut fraud and error in Housing Benefit by 25% by 2008.
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