Customer Management System

1. Customer Management System WELCOME

2. Aim ‘To provide an overview of the CMS process and to highlight its impact on Local Authorities’ administration of Housing and Council Tax Benefit’

3. Objectives By the end of the seminar you will: • have a basic understanding of Jobcentre Plus modernisation and how it affects LAs • know the principles upon which CMS has been developed • have an understanding of the CMS process carried out within Jobcentre Plus • understand how CMS will affect the way LAs administer HB & CTB claims • have an understanding of the information contained in the LA Input Document • be aware of the preparation and liaison required before implementation

4. Agenda • Jobcentre Plus Modernisation • Introduction to CMS • The CMS Process • The LA Input Document • Implementation and Good Practice • Lessons Learned and Close

5. Jobcentre Plus:Delivering our Vision Head of Governmental Partnerships

6. Key facts • Clear purpose: ‘work for those who can, support for those who cannot’ • Since our launch: • Helped over 3.3 million people into work • Filled over 2.7 million vacancies • Transformed over half of our office network • Modernised customer payments – now pay 95.2% of customers direct to bank account • Reduced loss in benefit expenditure through fraud to 2.3% - although fraud and error still too high • Reduced staffing from 86,000 to 73,000

7. 2008 – Our challenge • We must extend this success into our other customer groups. The challenge is: JSA (875,000) Lone Parents (787,000) Incapacity Benefits (2.73 m) Other (511,000) • At the same time, reducing our headcount from 86,000 in 2002 to 65-66,000 in 2008

8. Delivering our Vision Programme Transformation Efficiency Policy Change Plus Plus Re-thinking the way we deliver services with the flexibility and discretion we need to focus on thosewith greatest need Driving the highest levels of performance and productivity across the business Accelerating the changes already underway to build a Jobcentre Plus that will enable us to make ourVision real The programme is designed to: • Reduce costs while maintaining standards • Improve the effectiveness of what we do • Achieve the future we need for Jobcentre Plus

9. Efficiency • Increase productivity and reduce unit costs • Introduce a Standard Operating Model • Improve job entry validation • Increase the take up of e-services • Implement a new approach to tackling fraud and error

10. Transformation • Continuing rollout of local offices and contact centres • Centralisation of benefits processing into 77 sites • Implement new organisational design – focusing staff reductions on management and support staff

11. Transformation - Cont. • Encourage and develop use of telephone- and e-channels (on-line benefit claims, on line vacancy placement) • New national service delivery model for employers • Introduce New Deal for Skills with the Learning and Skills Council • For IB customers, rolling out ‘Pathways’ model across the country

12. Policy Change • Incapacity Benefit Reforms • Contestability • Extended Working Life • Community/Voluntary Sector Initiatives

13. Delivering performance • Achieved 5 out of 6 formal targets in 2004/05 • On course to deliver 4 of 6 this year • Tackling contact centre performance as key short term priority • Achievement of Key Management Indicators, including attendance management • Reduce variation in performance • Implement the new Job Outcome Target from April 2006

14. Delivering through our people • Improving understanding and buy-in to new ways of delivering services • Improving the skills of our people • Listening and responding to the DWP survey • Implementing ‘Working Together’ programme to introduce new ways of working

15. Governmental Partnerships Team? • Part of new Directorate “External Relations and Communications” • Total of 9 Staff • Focal point for relationship between Jobcentre Plus and governmental partners including LA, HMRC, PS, CSA, DCS, Debt Management • Putting in place and supporting the right liaison structures • Review of the JRB/JOB Structures • Facilitating Communications in both directions • Performing a stewardship/stock taking role

16. An Introduction to the Customer Management System Housing Benefit Strategy Division

17. Session Outline • Overview • Information gathered via CMS • Key benefits

18. Overview • Context – Jobcentre Plus modernisation • Interactive, integrated, electronic information gathering process for working age customers • New and repeat IS, JSA, and IB claims plus associated HB/CTB claims • Carried out over the telephone • Scripted questions

19. Information Gathered • All HB/CTB information • Regardless of primary benefit claimed • e.g. capital and income where IB/JSA(C) claimed, rent details for private tenants • Based on HCTB1 clerical claim form • Not changes of circumstance

20. Key Benefits • Better customer service • information is gathered once for a number of benefits • information is shared between processing sections • more accurate information

21. The CMS Claim Process Housing Benefit Strategy Division

22. Session Outline • Walk through of the process • Gathering information • Scripts and Information Transfer • Financial Assessor Interview • Key Messages

23. (Contact Centre) (Contact Centre) (Contact Centre) Outbound call Full gather of information Financial Assessor dateset Customer rings Contact Centre Pre-recorded message Inbound Call (First Contact Officer) Personal Advisor date set (Contact Centre) (Jobcentre Plus Office) Customer returns Customer Statement (post or visit) Missing information added Evidence Verified Claim pack produced Primary evidence requested Financial Assessor Claim pack sent to customer Personal Advisor Local Authority Local Authority Reply slip returned to Jobcentre Plus LA Input Document received ‘Push’/ Input documents prepared and sent Customer record deleted from CMS Customer statement stored by Jobcentre Plus (Processing site) (Processing site) Jobcentre Plus Input Document(s) received Jobcentre Plus Reply slip(s) returned

24. Claim Process – Gathering Information • First Contact Officer (FCO) • takes basic details to establish whether ‘in scope’ • more basic details to establish potential eligibility • arranges callback • Callback - scripted questions to gather information for benefit claims • Information input onto CMS

25. Claim Process – Scripts • Scripting is ‘intelligent’ • On-line support including • page sensitive help • procedures • hyperlinks to rules and regulations • Scripts gather HB/CTB information • Primary benefits have a clerical DWP Questionnaire

26. Claim Process – Gathering Information • FCO arranges interview with the FA and PA • Customer statement produced • Claim package sent to customer • covering letter • customer statement and DWP questionnaire • confirmation of FA/PA appointment • details of evidence needed – primary benefits only • details of acceptable evidence

27. Claim Process – FA Interview • Financial Assessor • check the customer statement and DWP Questionnaire • on CMS • enters any additional answers provided • amends any details • enters details of evidence for the primary benefit(s) • completes Enable Benefit Calculation (EBC) screens • advises the customer what will happen next • prepares the claim for transfer, when all information/evidence supplied for primary benefits(s) • transfer to LA is in paper form - ‘LA Input Document’

28. Key Messages • New and repeat claims for IS/JSA/IB • full information gather for HB/CTB • regardless of primary benefit claimed • Jobcentre Plus will verify evidence for primary benefits only • HB/CTB claim details sent to LA • via an LA Input Document • when information and evidence received for primary benefits

29. Related Areas

30. Session Outline • Section 19 • Evidence Checks • Date of claim • Performance Indicators • Key messages

31. Section 19 • Jobcentre Plus will check if S19 requirements met for the primary benefit and will record on CMS • LA Input Document will show if satisfied • Acceptable for LA purposes as being sufficient for HB/CTB claim(s) • Decision remains with LA

32. Evidence • Customer has to provide evidence for the primary benefit claim(s) • LA Input Document shows all the evidence supplied by the customer • Acceptable for LA verification purposes • Decision remains with the LA • Overpayments – current subsidy arrangements apply • Verification of HB/CTB evidence has been piloted by Jobcentre Plus

33. Date of Claim – HB/CTB • HB/CTB claim made with IS/JSA(IB) – no change • HB/CTB claim made with IB/JSA(C) – date of claim is date of first contact (Circular A21/2005 refers) • Regulations • Reg 83 HB Regs (SI 2006/213) • Reg 69 CTB Regs (SI 2006/215)

34. New Claims Performance Indicators Where an LA Input Document is received the clock starts from: • the date the Input Document is received at the LA’s designated office If a clerical claim is also received the clock starts from: • the date the earliest claim/input document was received in the LA’s designated office.

35. Key Messages • LA Input Document shows evidence verified for primary benefits and S19 checks • LAs can accept verification and S19 confirmation • Date of claim • IS/JSA(IB) – no change • IB/JSA(C) – date of first contact • Performance Indicators – earliest of • date LA Input Document received at LA’s designated office • date claim form received at LA’s designated office

36. The Customer Management System Any Questions?

37. The LA Input Document Housing Benefit Strategy Division

38. Session Outline • Transfer of claim details to the LA • What the LA Input Document will show • Confirmation of receipt • Additional information sent to the LA • Storage and retrieval of the customer statement • Worked example • Key messages

39. Claim Process – Transferring Information • Transfer of claim details will be in paper form – an ‘Input Document’ • Input Document for each benefit • Sent to LA when all information and evidence received for Primary benefit • Varying size • Collated as agreed between the LA and Jobcentre Plus

40. LA Input Document • Jobcentre Plus forward LA Input Document which shows: • date of first contact • date acceptable customer statement received • information for HB/CTB claim • details of information verified • other benefits details • Enable Benefit Calculation (EBC) information • whether Jobcentre Plus is satisfied that the requirements of S19 are fulfilled

41. LA Input Document • LAs have to confirm receipt • Claim details stay on CMS until receipt confirmed • Duplicate Input Documents can be produced if details are still on CMS • LA may need to request HB only evidence from customer

42. Enable Benefit Calculation (EBC) • Details of verified amounts for: • Current earnings • Savings • Payments from an occupational pension • Other income • Details of any calculations that have been carried out by the Financial Assessor

43. Additional Documentation - JCP 25 • Used to record details of a changes of circumstance between ‘gather’ and return of Customer Statement • Not a common occurrence • Should be forwarded with the LA Input Document.

44. Access to Customer Statement • Signed customer statement remains with Jobcentre Plus • LA can obtain a copy, or the original • Request should be made to local Jobcentre Plus office • Local arrangements • Regulations • Reg 108/111/113 HB Regs (SI 2006/213) • Reg 91/94/95 CTB Regs (SI 2006/215)

45. Key Messages • HB/CTB claim details transferred to LA • via an LA Input Document • only when all information and evidence received for primary benefits • LA has to confirm receipt • Duplicate Input Documents can be produced

46. Key Messages • LA Documentation will show information for HB/CTB claim(s) • LA may need to request further supporting evidence from the customer • Signed Customer statement remains with Jobcentre Plus • LA can obtain original or copy

47. The Customer Management System Any Questions?

48. Implementation, Lessons Learned and Good Practice Housing Benefit Strategy Division

49. Session outline - aims and objectives • To explain how CMS will be implemented in Jobcentre Plus • To highlight the possible impacts of CMS in your LA • To share feedback on the impacts of the system so far • Blackpool LA and Blackpool Jobcentre Plus (Lancashire West District)

50. Implementation- national overview • CMS successfully implemented on 14th July 2003 • First site in Livingston, Scotland • National implementation from Autumn 2003 • Over 330 LAs now live for at least part of their caseload • Rollout scheduled to be completed in late 2006 • Removal of LA Questionnaire and CMS 1(LA) October 2005