§ Waiting time
§ The average waiting time for an appeal to be heard will be no more than 13 weeks from the time of receipt by the Appeals Service.1
§ The number of cases over 24 weeks old as at 1 April 2003, will be reduced by at least 15 per cent. by 31 March 2004.
§ For cases returned by the Commissioner, the average waiting time for an appeal to be re-heard will be no more than 10 weeks from the date of return to the Appeals Service.2
§ Local variations
§ The range of waiting time variations between local offices will be reduced by a factor of 5 per cent.
§ 1Excludes stayed cases awaiting decision in lead cases in a higher court (the effective date will commence from withdrawal of stay being notified).
§ 2Excludes cases requiring further evidence.
§ THE PENSION SERVICE
§ Pay Pension Credit to at least 2.4 million pensioner households by April 2004.
§ Pay the guarantee element of Pension Credit to at least 1.9 million pensioner households by April 2004.
45W§ Convert all Minimum Income Guarantee recipients to Pension Credit by the beginning of October 2003.
§ Reduce losses as a result of fraud and error to no more than 4 per cent. of benefit paid.
§ Ensure that 88 per cent. of calls to The Pension Service Pension Centres are answered by Customer agents and that no more than 1 per cent. of attempted calls receive an engaged tone or message.
§ Achieve a Pension Credit accuracy rate of 94 per cent.
§ Achieve a Retirement Pension claims accuracy rate of 98 per cent.
§ JOBCENTRE PLUS
§ Helping people into work
§ To achieve a total points score of 7,681,000 based on the job entry outcomes Jobcentre Plus achieves. The points score system focuses efforts and resources on helping into work people in priority groups such as lone parents, disabled people and those in the most disadvantaged areas. For each person that Jobcentre Plus places in work it will earn a point score ranging from 12 for, for example, a customer on long term Incapacity Benefit to a single point for someone who is already employed. See Annex 1 for details.
§ Tackling fraud and error
§ By March 2004 to reduce losses from fraud and error in working age Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance to no more than 6.9 per cent. of the monetary value of these benefits paid during the year.
§ Helping employers fill their vacancies
§ At least 82 per cent. of employers placing their vacancies with Jobcentre Plus will have a positive outcome.
§ Business delivery
§ To ensure that specified key Jobcentre Plus business processes are delivered efficiently, accurately and to specified standards in 88 per cent. of cases.
§ Serving our customers well
§ To achieve an 83 per cent. customer service level in the delivery of the standards set out in the customers' and Employers' Charters.