Checks of outsourced housing benefit decisions undertaken by the council

The request was partially successful.

Dear Thanet District Council,

I would like to request the following information:

1, the number of checks undertaken by the council of outsourced housing benefit decisions over the last two years
2, the proportion of checked decisions that were considered by the council to be erroneous
3, the efforts made by outsourced providers to prevent such errors from recurring.

Such checks are required under the Contracting Out (Functions of Local Authorities: Income-Related Benefits) Order 2002, rule 4.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Robert Thomas

TDC FOI, Thanet District Council

Receipt for FOI 3303

Dear Mr Thomas,

Thank you for your Freedom Of Information  (FOI) dated (13/11/2019). 

I can confirm that we have received your request and are now processing
it. Our reference number for your request is FOI 3303. We will look to
make a full disclosure of the information requested by (11/12/2019) at the
latest. We will let you know if there are any issues processing your
request and if there will be any delays regarding collating the
information you have requested..

Kind regards

Information Governance Officer
Thanet District Council
Margate
CT9 1XZ
01843 577620

show quoted sections

TDC FOI, Thanet District Council

Dear Mr Thomas,

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request dated the 13th November
2019. 

The responses to your request are set out below:

Q.1 7424 checks undertaken.

Q.2  196 financially incorrect (2.64%).

Q.3  Every error identified as part of the quality assurance process are
fed back directly to the Officer who made the original decision. Any
training needs are identified in regular one to one meetings between the
decision-maker and their line managers. This forms part of the overall
appraisal and performance monitoring process. In addition, decision-makers
attend regular team meetings and are supported by a dedicated training
team with processes and procedure notes being regularly updated to ensure
that decision makes have all of the tools available to make the best
decisions.

If you are unhappy with the way your enquiry has been dealt with, you may
ask for an internal review by submitting a request within one month of the
date of this response. Further information on the internal review process
can be found here:
[1]https://www.thanet.gov.uk/your-services/...

Your request should be addressed to the Information Governance Manager,
Thanet District Council, PO Box 9, Cecil Street, Margate, CT9 1XZ or by
emailing [2][email address].   

If you are still dissatisfied after an internal review, you may appeal to
the Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow SK9
5AF.

Kind regards

Information Governance Officer

Thanet District Council

Margate

CT9 1XZ

01843 577247

--------------------------------------------------
Originating request
Dear Thanet District Council,

I would like to request the following information: 

1, the number of checks undertaken by the council of outsourced housing
benefit decisions over the last two years
2, the proportion of checked decisions that were considered by the council
to be erroneous
3, the efforts made by outsourced providers to prevent such errors from
recurring.

Such checks are required under the Contracting Out (Functions of Local
Authorities: Income-Related Benefits) Order 2002, rule 4.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Robert Thomas

References

Visible links
1. https://www.thanet.gov.uk/your-services/...
2. mailto:[email address]

Dear TDC FOI,

Could I ask - who it the external contractor? Thanks.

Yours sincerely,

Robert Thomas

TDC FOI, Thanet District Council

Dear Mr. Thomas,
We will receipt this as a new FOI 
Best Wishes,
Information Governance Officer
Thanet District Council
Margate
CT9 1XZ
01843 577247

show quoted sections

TDC FOI, Thanet District Council

Receipt for FOI 3381

Dear Mr. Thomas,

Thank you for your Freedom of Information Request dated 04/12/2019

I can confirm that we have received your request and are now processing
it. Our reference number for your request is FOI 3381.
We will look to make a full disclosure of the information requested by
10/01/2020 at the latest and we are closed from 25/12/2019 to 02/01/2020.

We will let you know if there are any issues processing your request and
if there will be any delays regarding collating the information you have
requested..

Kind regards

Information Governance Officer
Thanet District Council
Margate
CT9 1XZ
01843 577247

show quoted sections

TDC FOI, Thanet District Council

Dear Mr. Thomas,

Thank you for your Freedom of Information Request dated 05/12/2019. This
is a duplicate of FOI 3387.

Thanet District Council has no responsibility for the information you have
requested.

The relevant authority for this information is East Kent Housing; the
contact details for them are below:-

EKH FOI email address: [1][email address]

EKH SAR email address: [2][email address]

Kind regards

Information Governance Officer

Thanet District Council

Margate

CT9 1XZ

01843 577620

On Wed, 4 Dec 2019 at 11:36, TDC FOI <[3][email address]> wrote:

Receipt for FOI 3381

Dear Mr. Thomas,

Thank you for your Freedom of Information Request dated 04/12/2019

I can confirm that we have received your request and are now processing
it. Our reference number for your request is FOI 3381.
We will look to make a full disclosure of the information requested by
10/01/2020 at the latest and we are closed from 25/12/2019 to
02/01/2020.

We will let you know if there are any issues processing your request and
if there will be any delays regarding collating the information you have
requested..

Kind regards

Information Governance Officer
Thanet District Council
Margate
CT9 1XZ
01843 577247

show quoted sections

Dear TDC FOI,

I have contacted East Kent Housing and received this response:

"Dear Mr Thomas
East Kent Housing does not manage any aspects relating to housing benefit
or Council Tax. These enquiries should be raised with the relevant Council
area.
Kind regards
Alison Westbrook
Governance Manager
East Kent Housing
Garrity House
Miners Way
Aylesham
Kent. CT3 3BF"

Could you please tell me which body decides housing benefit and council tax benefit decisions in Kent? Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Robert Thomas

TDC FOI, Thanet District Council

Dear Mr Thomas,

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request dated the 4th December
2019. 

The response to your request is set out below.

 - The external contractor is Civica.

If you are unhappy with the way your enquiry has been dealt with, you may
ask for an internal review by submitting a request within one month of the
date of this response. Further information on the internal review process
can be found here:
[1]https://www.thanet.gov.uk/your-services/...

Your request should be addressed to the Information Governance Manager,
Thanet District Council, PO Box 9, Cecil Street, Margate, CT9 1XZ or by
emailing [2][email address].   

If you are still dissatisfied after an internal review, you may appeal to
the Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow SK9
5AF.

Kind regards

Information Governance Officer

Thanet District Council

Margate

CT9 1XZ

01843 577247

Information Governance Officer
Thanet District Council
Margate
CT9 1XZ
01843 577247

References

Visible links
1. https://www.thanet.gov.uk/your-services/...
2. mailto:[email address]