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'Housing Benefit'.
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Mr F Sweeney
020 8921 2072
020 8921 2019
- - - Our Ref: RFI/01868
28th January 2010 |
|
Dear Mr Mawson,
Re: FOI Request: Housing Benefit Claims and Appeals (RFI/01868)
I refer to your Freedom of Information Request, e-mailed on 19th January 2010. In the order that you raised your questions my response is as follows:
Q.What is the total number of people currently claiming Housing Benefit?
Answer: 25,165 people claiming Housing Benefit.
(This figure does not include home owners who claim Council Tax Benefit only)
Q.Total number of staff employed in the Department to process Housing Benefit claims?
Answer: The total number of staff responsible for the processing of benefit claims is 54,
This number includes decision makers and admin staff who take first action on a claim for benefit.
Q.How many benefit appeals are currently outstanding?
Answer: 43 requests for reconsideration.
Q.How many benefit appeals proceeded to Tribunal stage in 2008 and 2009?
Answer: January 2008 - December 2008 = 25
January 2009 - December 2009 = 27
I have enclosed further information should you be dissatisfied with my response. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.
Yours sincerely,
Frank Sweeney, Training & Policy Manager, Revenues & Benefits Service.
Freedom of Information Act 2000
Are you satisfied with our response?
The Freedom of Information Act gives you the right to request information held by public authorities. We have a duty, once we receive a request in writing, to tell you whether or not we hold the information and, if we have, to give you the information, subject to any defined exemptions. This document tells you what to do and who to contact if you are not satisfied with our response to your request for information.
Step 1
You should request an INTERNAL REVIEW. This must be made in writing, with your name and an address for us to write back to you. You should send your request to the Council officer who responded to your request
We will confirm receipt of your request for an internal review in writing.
Where possible, we will then try to resolve your complaint on an informal basis through contacting you and discussing your concerns. If we reach a resolution with you, we will confirm this in writing to you. We aim to complete this informal process within 5 working days of receipt of your letter.
If you remain dissatisfied, we will move to step 2.
Step 2
Your request for an internal review will be referred to the departmental director. The director will either carry out the review or arrange for a person who was not a party to the original decision to do so. In certain cases the review will be carried out by the Chief Executive.
We aim to provide you with the outcome of the review within 20 working days from the date upon which we received your letter of complaint. If we are unable to respond within this time, we will inform you in writing, giving the reason for the delay and a date when a full written reply can be expected. This will not exceed a further 20 days.
The Information Commissioner
Following the outcome of the Internal Review: If you remain dissatisfied with the Council's response to your request - or with the way in which it has been handled - you can appeal to the Information Commissioner's Office. The Information Commissioner's Office is an independent body that enforces the Freedom of Information Act, the Data Protection Act and the Environmental Information Regulations. If you wish to appeal to the Information Commissioner, you should do so as soon as possible after we have given you the outcome of our internal review. In any case, you should contact the Information Commissioner within 2 months of that date.
For more information on Freedom of Information, visit www.foi.gov.uk or www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
FOI complaints resolution, Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF or telephone 01625 545 745 or e-mail: [email address]
Greenwich Council: Freedom of Information Officer, 4th floor, Riverside House East, Woolwich High Street, London, SE18 6DN
Direct line: 020 8921 5084, E-mail: [Greenwich Borough Council request email]
D:\Customer\Documents and Settings\alan.soskin\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLK7\FOI Response HB Claims and Appeals RFI01868.doc