Council's benefits service gets 'zero' from watchdog
BRISTOL City Council's benefits service has been condemned as "poor" in a report by the Audit Commission today.
The commission, which is an independent watchdog, has given the service a zero-star rating and says it has "uncertain prospects for improvement".
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Bristol City Council 's benefits services gets 'zero' from watchdog
The service acts as an agency for the Government, paying out more than £200 million a year to more than 62,000 people in the city.
A low score has been given because:
● People wait too long for their claims to be processed
● Some people find letters they receive about their benefits claim hard to understand
● Phone callers with benefit queries can wait a long time before they speak to an adviser and the problem is getting worse
● People have to wait too long for a review of their case
● More consistent action to reduce fraud would help cut costs and save taxpayers' money.
The council has responded by saying it has drawn up an action plan of improvements, some of which have been introduced.
Philip Suter, Audit Commission senior manager, said: "Successfully claiming benefits is an essential safety net for many people, especially during the current economic downturn.
"Bristol City Council has much to do to improve the benefits service for local people.
"It recognises this and has begun to tackle the problems. It is committed to providing a better customer service, building on work already started."
The commission says the service only has two strengths – people can make a claim at several places across the city, and fraud is successfully prosecuted.
Commission inspectors have urged that the council must do more to improve the quality of service and make it easier for people who phone up with queries.
The council should also work more closely with organisations to help people claim the benefits they are entitled to.
Benefits are paid to more than 43,000 who claim a discount on their council tax payments.
They are also paid to more than 19,000 people who claim housing benefit of which 7,800 are tenants of Registered Social Landlords and 11,700 are tenants of private landlords.
The service, which is manned by 181 staff, had running costs last year of nearly £8 million of which half is paid by the DWP (Department of Work and Pensions) and the rest by the council.
The authority said it accepted the commission's judgment but said it did not believe the prospects for improvement were "uncertain" as described.
It added that the Audit Commission's failure to acknowledge the city's improved performance was "harsh".
Lib Dem Cabinet Councillor Anthony Negus said: "I accept the council's benefits service is not delivering the speed and quality that people in Bristol have a right to expect. We need to deliver a faster, more responsive service that offers value for money. All the areas of weakness identified are the subject of a detailed action plan and I expect to see improvement in all areas very soon.
"We were unhappy at the failure of the commission to acknowledge the improvements already made and we feel that this omission is unfair. They suggested that evidence of recent improvements was not sufficient to influence their judgement on the direction the service is going.
"In fact we were able to show inspectors that we deliver the most cost-effective benefits service of England's eight largest councils, known as the Core Cities, and have a customer satisfaction rating just short of 80 per cent."
Copies of the report are available from Bristol City Council, or from the Audit Commission website at www.audit-commission.gov.uk.
14 Comments
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by Vixenmoo, Bristol
Friday, July 30 2010, 8:58AM
“I can agree with this report - my dad was made redundant last June (first time not working in 40 years) and was unable to find work so for the first time in his life went to the council to claim job seekers and council tax benefit. My mum works part time and could not get any more hours at her job, therefore financially they were stumped (mortgage, etc). It took 6 MONTHS of the DSS/Council asking to see various wage slips, bank statements, tax slips, etc to eventually provide the help. They even questioned some cheques being paid into my parents account - which were actually the redundancy payments from my Dads former work!! In those 6 months, my parents could not get any answers from the DWP, job centre or council as to why it was taking so long.
They should go back to dealing with the local people at local offices - call centre environments do not work when you are dealing with peoples lives! Luckily my dad has now found work, however has not gone back to the job centre since December because he was so fed up of the attitude of staff and lack of any authoritive figure who could or would answer his questions!”
by The people of bristol, inner city
Thursday, July 29 2010, 8:55PM
“@ cain that right you and your friends are parasites.. get it... you lot have been found out what you are doing to this city.. cos you do the deeds of your father, you are of your father the devil and the lusts of your father you will do . he was a murderer from the beginning , and abode not in the truth ,because there is no truth in him. when he speaketh a lie,he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar and the father of it ... thats the truth ok”
by Interested, Bristol
Thursday, July 29 2010, 7:01PM
“What I'm interested to know is if the benefits service is actually run by the council or is it run by a company they have brought in to do the job for them? I know a lot of councils do this.”
by Cain, Bristol
Thursday, July 29 2010, 6:05PM
“I was referring to the text not the address.
Stop jumping to conclusion you old bat!”
by Bristol Old Bat with a 750, Inner City Bristol
Thursday, July 29 2010, 6:00PM
“What an ignorant generalist you are Cain. I live in St Paul's & have worked in the civil service, housing & for Bristol University. I still work. My neighbours include a Bristol Uni lecturer, a doctor of medicine, a teacher, a security guard, builders, landscaper, a mechanic, jewellery maker, silk screen artist & session musician. All within 1 minutes walk from my house. Ignorance does not become you. O do you have the mark?”
by biker 650, here n there
Thursday, July 29 2010, 5:24PM
“This is what happens when they centralise all staff and employ a call centre mentality. Bring back the old days when offices were local and benefits were processed by small teams in the areas who knew the residents and could deal with them with a little understanding and empathy...”
by Rigsby, St George
Thursday, July 29 2010, 1:37PM
“" "Some people find letters they receive about their benefits claim hard to understand"
Yes that'll be people who claim benefits cos they are too thick to get a job then, not really the Councils fault is it?
How low should they set their language level?
Pragmatist, Bristol "
Pragmatist, you clearly have not had to ever receive these letters.
They truly are cryptic and make little sense.
I have a degree and Maths has always been my strongest point in life. And yet these letters make no sense and hardly ever add up correctly.
Don't believe the hype though, simply phone any member of staff at the council benefits section and ask them what they think of the letters. They are extremely difficult to read and all the staff there agree!
@Jamie, that is the exact opinion I have always been under, calls need to be ended as quick as can be and like you say, in tray ethics, not actually paying attention to the case in hand.”
by Cain, Bristol
Thursday, July 29 2010, 1:36PM
“@The people of bristol, inner city
You dont actually have a job/contribute to society do you?”
by Cain, Bristol
Thursday, July 29 2010, 1:35PM
“@ The people of bristol, inner city
You dont actually have a job do you?”
by The people of bristol, inner city
Thursday, July 29 2010, 12:43PM
“you see .. all Bristol c c wants to do is to try and mislead people ...... all they are interested in is .. pay/perks/pensions. for there narrow-minded greedy self-interest crew.. thats the truth.. they are parasite feeding us crap so they can sit there stuffing there classist faces. if you lot are so well educated then why is Bristol in a mess ? you clowns should be running a circus or helping out in a scrap yard.. we need to start cutting your pay/ perks/ pensions. the people at the top of Bristol c c you lot are a disgrace to this city, this is what we think of you lot..”