HC Deb 26 July 1993 vol 229 cc525-6W
Mr. Frank Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Benefits Agency business plan for the current year was laid before Parliament.

Mr. Ancram

It is expected that the Social Security Agency's 1993–94 business plan will be published in August 1993. The agency's service and financial targets for the year have, however, already been set and are as follows. They 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.

1. BENEFIT CLEARANCE TIMES (a)
Per cent. In days
Social fund crisis loans—on the day the need arises
Social fund community care grants 65 7
95 20
Income support 71 5
90 13
Sickness/invalidity benefit 65 10
95 30
Child benefit 73 10
95 30
Family credit 60 13
95 42
Disability living allowance 65 30
85 55
Retirement pension 65 20
95 60
Unemployment benefit 7.5

2. BENEFIT ACCURACY

Income support: to pay the correct amount in at least 92 per cent. of cases. Sickness/invalidity benefit: to pay the correct amount in at least 97 per cent. of cases.

Family credit: to pay the correct amount in at least 92 per cent. of cases.

Disability living allowance: to pay the correct amount in at least 96 per cent. of cases.

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

3. CUSTOMERS SATISFACTION (b)

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

4. FINANCIAL RECOVERY

  • Recovery of social fund loans—£16.1 million.
  • Recovery of income support overpayments—£1.2 million.
  • Recovery of centralized benefits overpayments—£0.18 million.
  • Benefit savings from detection and prevention of fraud—£10.8 million.
  • Increase number of contribution surveys to 6,000—including 1,400 employer educational visits.
  • Increase class 1 identified from survey—arrears and in-year savings—to £0.38 million.

5. RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

To live within a gross allocation of £28.5 million for social fund loans and community care grants.

To live within the agency's gross administration budget of £119.5 million, of which £113.6 million relates to running costs. A cash efficiency saving of £2.8 million—2.7 per cent.—has been deducted from the running costs—excluding Benefits Agency work.

Notes:

(a). Clearance times normally cover the period from the date of receipt of the claim in the agency to the formal decision by the adjudication officer or equivalent. Notification of the result is normally issued the following day. All days refer to working days.

(b) The customer satisfaction target covers a two-year period and will be measured by an independent survey in 1994–95.