Issue - meetings

(Report of the Acting Head of Benefits and Local Taxation) To inform Members of take-up activity undertaken.

The Committee received a report on work undertaken to maximise benefit take-up in 2008/09 and on progress following the scrutiny review of Benefit Take-Up, carried out in July 2005. It was reported that the most up to date figures indicated that £1.4m in additional benefits had been identified as a result of activity to encourage benefits take-up.

The Committee emphasised the importance of non-monetary benefits and suggested that further work be done to encourage take-up of these alongside financial benefits. The Committee welcomed the involvement of the Benefits and Local Taxation (BLT) team in local community events and the fact that the team was looking to expand its outreach work with the Citizens Advice Bureau and other voluntary organisations. The Committee also welcomed the feature on benefits take up in Haringey People, and suggested that there could be a regular benefits feature in the publication, focussing on issues specific to the season. 

It was requested that the Committee be provided with information on the total amount of unclaimed benefits in Haringey, information on whether there have been any changes to staffing arrangements in Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) offices that might affect Haringey residents and claimants and the current ratio of claimants to vacancies in Haringey.

In response to concerns raised by the Committee regarding the complexity of the forms required to make a claim, it was reported that the Council’s forms were close to the DWP standard and that a certain number of questions were necessary for the number of different schemes covered. The Committee welcomed the mobile working initiative that meant that members of the BLT team could visit residents in their homes to assist with completing the forms, and welcomed the report of a new electronic version of the form that would remove any unnecessary questions based on the responses given. 

It was suggested that a training session on benefit entitlements be arranged for Members, and it was agreed that the BLT team would look into arranging this.

The Committee emphasised the importance of this work, and Members were encouraged to share the experiences of their local residents in order to identify areas for further improvement.

RESOLVED

That the approach taken be noted and that the suggestions and issues raised in the discussion be used to contribute to future income maximisation strategies in the Borough.