§ The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mr. Andrew Smith)I am today able to announce the 2004–05 annual performance targets for three of the executive agencies of the Department for Work and Pensions: Jobcentre Plus, Child Support Agency and Appeals Service. The targets I have agreed are set out below.
Further information on the plans of each of the businesses in 2004–05 is contained in their individual business plans which have been published today. Copies have been placed in the Library.
Performance targets for The Pension Service, Disability and Carers Service and The Rent Service, responsibility for which transfers to my Department from 1 April 2004, will be announced in due course.
In line with the Department's Public Service Agreement, I will also be publishing unit cost targets that will be set to ensure that Jobcentre Plus, Child Support Agency and The Pension Service continue to deliver business efficiently.
Jobcentre Plus:
Helping people into work1: to achieve a total points score of 7,295,100 based on job entry outcomes.Tackling fraud and error: by March 2005 to reduce losses from fraud and error in working age Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance to no more than 6.0 per cent. of the monetary value of these benefits paid during the year.Helping employers fill their vacancies: to ensure that at least 84 per cent. of employers placing their vacancies with Jobcentre Plus will have a positive outcome.79WSBusiness Delivery2: to ensure processes are delivered efficiently, accurately and to specified standards in 89.6 per cent. of cases checked.Serving our customers well: to achieve an 81 per cent. customer service level in the delivery of the standards set out in the Jobcentre Plus Customer and Employer Charters.Child Support Agency:
All targets refer to new scheme cases.
Case compliance: by 31 March 2005 to be collecting child maintenance and/or arrears from 78 per cent. of all cases with a maintenance liability using the collection service.Cash compliance: by 31 March 2005 to be collecting 75 per cent. of child maintenance and/or arrears due to be paid through the collection service.Cash and case collection: to develop for introduction from 1 April 2005 individual targets for case and cash compliance to measure the collection of current maintenance separately from the collection of arrears.Accuracy: by 31 March 2005 accuracy on the last decision made for all maintenance calculations checked in the year to be correct to the nearest penny in at least 90 per cent. of cases.Customer perception: to develop and introduce a client perception target by October 2004.Debt: to develop and introduce a debt reduction target by October 2004.Appeals Service:
The average waiting time for an appeal to be heard will be no more than 11 weeks from the time of receipt by the Appeals Service3The number of cases over 20 weeks old as at 1 April 2004 will be reduced by at least 15 per cent. by 31 March 2005.For cases returned by the Commissioner, the average waiting time for an appeal to be re-heard will be no more than eight weeks from the date of return to the Appeals Service4.Notes
- 1. This target is measured by a points score system which 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 points for, for example, a lone parent, to one point for someone who is already employed.
- 2. This target measures standards of delivery of five key Jobcentre Plus business processes: Income Support accuracy, Jobseeker's Allowance accuracy, Incapacity Benefit accuracy, Labour Market Interventions, and attendance at an independent assessment to identify basic skills needs.
- 3. Excludes stayed cases awaiting decision in lead cases in a higher court (the effective date will commence from withdrawal of stay being notified).
- 4. Excludes cases requiring further evidence.