Benefits Service Improved - It's Official!

7.00.57pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 10th Oct 2004

Milton Keynes Council's Housing and Council Tax Benefits Service has improved, according to a new report. The Liberal Democrat Council now scores three out of four.

The Service recently undertook a self-assessment which was checked by the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate. The improvements made since the Inspectorate's last visit in 2003 include:

• the installation of a new electronic complaints monitoring system

• new targets for seeing customers more promptly

• improving communication with landlords

• giving all staff regular performance appraisals.

The average time taken to process new claims has improved from 88 days to 61 days and targets have now been set to improve this figure even further.

The percentage of new claims determined within 14 days has also improved, from 69% in 2002/3 to 76% in 2003/4.

The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate assesses each local authority's Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Services and supplies its findings to the Audit Commission, who issue a Benefits Service Score. The Audit Commission say Milton Keynes Council has moved from a score of 2 out of 4 to 3 out of 4 in the last year.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Irene Henderson, whose responsibilities include the Benefits Service, welcomed the news and said: "Improving the Benefits Service has been a key target for the Council because it affects the lives of people on low incomes. When we took over from Labour the service was judged to be 'poor' and scored only 1 out of 4. We have moved steadily upward to be awarded 3 out of 4 in a short time. We will continue to work with our partners in HBS to improve further. Our aim is to provide not just a good service but an excellent service."