Social Security Agency (Hansard, 28 April 1995)

§ Mr. Moss

The targets are included in the agency's 1995–96 business plan, which was published today. A copy of the plan will be placed in the Library. The targets are in line with the Government's policy of improving the service provided to customers and fully support the standards established in the Northern Ireland citizens charter. I am satisfied that the targets present a demanding challenge for the agency. They are as follows:

1. BENEFIT CLEARANCE TIMES¹

Social fund crisis loans

on the day the need arises²

Social fund community care grants

70 per cent. in seven days
95 per cent. in 20 days

Income support

71 per cent. in five days
90 per cent. in 13 days

Incapacity Benefit

60 per cent. in 10 days
85 per cent. in 30 days

Child benefit

68 per cent. in 10 days
94 per cent. in 30 days

Family credit

57 per cent. in 13 days
95 per cent. in 42 days

Disability living allowance

68 per cent. in 30 days
85 per cent. in 53 days

Retirement pension

65 per cent. in 20 days
95 per cent. in 60 days

Unemployment benefit

75 per cent. in 12 days

2 BENEFIT ACCURACY

763W

Income support

to pay the correct amount in at least 87 per cent. of cases

Incapacity benefit

to pay the correct amount in at least 94 per cent. of cases

Child benefit

to pay the correct amount in at least 98 per cent. of cases

Family credit

to pay the correct amount in at least 93 per cent. of cases

Disability living allowance

to pay the correct amount in at least 98 per cent. of cases

Retirement pension

to pay the correct amount in at least 99 per cent. of cases

Unemployment benefit

to pay the correct amount in at least 97 per cent. of cases

3. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

90 per cent. of customers to regard the agency's service as satisfactory or better

4. FINANCIAL RECOVERY

recovery of social fund loans—£19.10 million
recovery of income support overpayments—£1.70 million
recovery of centralised benefits overpayments—£0.42 million
benefit savings from detection and prevention of fraud—£ 14.00 million
to carry out 3,800 national insurance contributions surveys, including 1,020 employer educational visits
identify £1.12 million class I arrears as a result of compliance work

5. RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

to live within a gross allocation of £31.74 million for social fund loans and community care grants
to live within the agency's gross administration budget of £138.70 million, of which £135.40 million relates to running costs
to achieve cash efficiency savings of the order of £4.50 million

Notes:

¹in all cases, clearance time is measured from the date of receipt of a claim or application in the office to the date on which the claim or application is decided. The measure, therefore, excludes the time taken to issue notification of the decision and any payment.

² Monitored against 95 per cent. in one day.