The benefits service provided by North Tyneside Council is poor but has promising prospects for improvement, according to an independent report released today by the Audit Commission.
On a scale from zero to three stars, the Audit Commission inspection team gave the service a 'poor' zero-star rating. People are not getting their benefit claims or changes in their circumstances processed quickly enough. Waiting times, whether on the telephone or in person, are generally too long and the advice given is sometimes inconsistent. More needs to be done to combat fraud and reduce errors. But the report also shows that the Council is aware of these weaknesses and now has the capacity to address them.
David Jennings, Audit Commission senior manager, said:
'This inspection looks at a key service for local people. It shows that currently people wait too long to get their benefits, and too long for changes in their lives to be reflected in the benefits they receive. People can also wait too long at the customer service centres if they want to talk about their benefits, and it's hard to get through on the phone. But the Council knows this service is not good enough, and councillors have given a clear indication that things must change. The service has tried to provide extra help to people suffering financial hardship. A new benefits manager has agreed clear plans, which are realistic and are backed up by investments in time, money and staff. It is now likely that the service will improve.'
Strengths include:
- success in increasing take-up of all types of benefits;
- a good awareness of how to identify customers with money problems; and
- actively working with partners to help customers access extra advice and support.
Weaknesses include:
- taking too long to process new claims and changes in circumstances;
- long waiting times and a high abandoned call rate show how difficult it is to access the benefits service by phone or in person;
- taking too long to deal with appeals and reconsiderations during 2009/10; and
- not meeting satisfactory requirements for minimising fraud and error.
To help the service improve, inspectors made a number of recommendations. These include:
- reducing waiting times, both on the phone and in person;
- providing enough resources to detect and investigate fraud; and
- ensuring that performance is properly monitored.
Copies of the report are available from North Tyneside Council or from the Audit Commission website at www.audit-commission.gov.uk
Notes to editors
- North Tyneside Council's benefits service pays out around £76 million in benefits each year to some 24,000 local people. The service employs 65 full time equivalent staff. The cost of running the service for 2009/10 was £2.47 million of which £2.15 million was met by the Department for Work and Pensions.
- The Audit Commission is an independent watchdog, driving economy, efficiency and effectiveness in local public services to deliver better outcomes for everyone.
- Our work across local government, health, housing, community safety and fire and rescue services means that we have a unique perspective. We promote value for money for taxpayers.
- On 13 August 2010 the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government announced that he plans to disband the Audit Commission. His intention is to have new arrangements in place for auditing England's public bodies by 2012/13.
For more details about the role of the Audit Commission visit www.audit-commission.gov.uk
For more information or a copy of the full report contact David Rose, Audit Commission Communications Manager for Northern England, on 0844 798 7149.