Housing and Council Tax Benefits take up policy

The Benefits service is committed to maximising take up for all of its services, promoting a positive image of the service whilst continuing to promote its counter fraud policy to ensure that the gateway to the system is secure.

It aims to:

• Maximise fair and equal access to services by ensuring that publicity material available is to Plain English standard and can be made available in Braille and large print and that application forms signpost the majority of non English speaking residents to the voluntary sector for assistance.
• Engage stakeholders by providing training in policies and procedures where appropriate, in order to promote the dissemination of information to as many people as possible.
• Maximise the income of vulnerable groups by having regard to the Council’s Fair Debt Policy when considering arrangements for repayment of Housing Benefit and encouraging take up of Council Tax discounts and exemptions.
• Continue to offer a visiting service, which gives advice to the elderly and disabled, on claiming all benefits and assists in the completion of claim forms.
• Continue to work together with the Health Service, Social Services and voluntary organisations, to promote take up of benefits.
• Liaise with the Landlords to ensure they can advise tenants about the availability of housing benefit and how to claim.
• Invite a standard claim for benefits for those who start work or fail to qualify for Income Related benefits.
• Continue to improve partnership arrangements, for example with Job Centre Plus and Pensions Service to provide a seamless service.
• Strive to break down the barriers to claiming by working with claimant representatives and voluntary organisations to simplify the claims process where possible.
• Provide an accessible service to the whole community by making the service available at a time, and in a format, which will meet the needs of everyone.
• Consult with potential customers to ensure that the service is publicised in a variety of means aimed at reaching all members of the community.
• Continue to work with various organisations throughout the area to ensure that asylum seekers, refugees and other persons from abroad are successful in claiming benefits to which they are entitled as easily as possible.
• Have regard to the maximisation of benefits in making policy decisions (for example war pension disregards) and other discretionary areas.
• Ensure that policies regarding the administration and assessment of benefits are transparent and widely publicised to encourage customers and advisors to claim.

In order to achieve this, the Benefits Service will annually:

• Distribute promotional literature and, where possible, work jointly with:

1. Job Centre Plus and Pension Service
2. Council Service areas and One Stop Shops
3. Citizens Advice Bureaux and Welfare Rights Offices
4. Community Centres
5. Doctors’ surgeries
6. Registered Social Landlords

• Identify and contact current housing benefit customers with potential entitlement to other benefits when notifying them of their entitlement to Housing Benefit.
• Engage with large local employers with a view to offering pre-retirement advice.
• Present all information relating to Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit on the website, including online forms in respect of additional benefit e.g. Discretionary Housing Payments and backdated benefit.
• Continue to publicise Council Tax Benefit with annual Council Tax demands.