§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will make a statement on the use of computerised benefit calculation models by his Department; and what policy applies to claimants wishing to obtain access to these systems;
(2) how much his Department has spent on introducing computerised benefit calculation models throughout the Benefits Agency network; how many terminals are currently operational; and if he will list the Benefits Agency facilities where access to these terminals is available to claimants.
§ Mr. BurtThe administration of benefits is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Brian Donohue, dated 14 June 1994:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking about (i) the use of computerised benefit calculation models by his Department; and what policy applies to claimants wishing to obtain access to these systems and (ii) how much his Department has spent on introducing computerised benefit calculation models throughout the Benefits Agency network; how many terminals are currently operational; and if he will list the facilities where access to these terminals is available to claimants.The Benefits Agency provides a benefit advice and information service from all its District Offices and also from a number of telephone enquiry lines. Staff are supported in this task by a number of tools, including the recently introduced Integrated584Wtime taken to decide a Social Fund (SF) application nationally and in the Benefits Agency's (BA) East Nottinghamshire, North Nottinghamshire, and West Nottinghamshire Districts.The clearance of SF applications is measured in terms of "x" per cent. of applications cleared in "y" days, and not as an average of the time to decide each individual application. You will be aware that the SF comprises of Community Care Grants (CCG), Budgeting Loans (BL), Crisis Loans (CL), Cold Weather Payments (CWP), Funeral Payments (FP) and Maternity Payments (MP). Each element of the SF has separate and different "x in y" primary and secondary targets, with the exception of CWPs. For CWPs, eligible customers are identified and paid automatically and do not have to make a formal claim.I have provided at Annex A the national and the three Nottinghamshire districts' details for the month of April 1994 (latest available data).I hope you find this reply helpful.Benefits Information System, a computerised system which includes the facility to produce an estimate of benefit entitlement during an interview with a customer.The Agency is currently conducting research to determine whether customers would welcome self service facilities to produce benefit calculations, given the large volume of data entry required to produce meaningful estimates of benefit entitlement. Meanwhile there are no such facilities available.There are, however, computer programmes developed by the Agency which provide general information about benefits such as condition of entitlement, how to claim, rates, leaflets etc. The most common of these is the "West Country Social Security Guide" which can be installed on machines suitable for customer use, where they are available. Such machines are installed in both BA locations and other outlets provided by Local Authorities, Social and Welfare organisations and Citizen's Advice Bureaux, amongst others.There are at least 1,100 terminals running the automated guide. The precise number of these suitable for direct public access is unknown.Finally, the eventual cost of developing, implementing and supporting the full IBIS toolset is estimated to be £3.8 million.I hope you find this reply helpful.