§ The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Andrew Smith)I am today able to announce the 2004–05 annual performance standards for The Pension Service, an executive agency of the Department for Work and Pensions. The standards I have agreed are set out below.
Further information on The Pension Service's plans for 2004–05 is contained in the annual business plan that has been published today. Copies have been placed in the Library.
88WSThe Pension Service in-year standards for 2004–05 are:
Ensure that 90 per cent. of telephone calls to The Pension Service Centres are answered by Customer Agents and that no more than 1 per cent. of attempted telephone calls receive the engaged tone or message;Clear 95 per cent. of State Pension claims in 60 days;Achieve a State Pension claims accuracy rate of 98 per cent.Achieve a Pension Credit accuracy rate of 94 per cent;Issue Winter Fuel Payments for 2004–05 (all automatic payments, and successful claims received before 25 September 2004) by Christmas 2004;Deal with State Pension Forecast requests in an average of 20 days;Reduce the losses as a result of fraud and error to no more than 4 per cent. of benefit paid;85 per cent. of customers to have their entitlements made by Direct Payments;Reduce sick absence rates to 8.5 days per capita.