HB/CTB and the ESA Customer Account Management System

1. HB/CTB and the ESA Customer Account Management System

2. Domestics • Breaks & Lunch • Evacuation Procedures • Toilets

3. Objective ‘To provide an overview of the ESA CAM process and to highlight its impact on Local Authorities’ administration of Housing and Council Tax Benefit’

4. Agenda • Introduction to ESA • The ESA Claim Process (using CAM) • The LA Claim Information (LACI) document • Jobcentre Plus Liaison • Summary and Close

5. An Overview of Employment and Support Allowance

6. Session Outline • Overview • Information gathered via CAM • Key benefits • Builds on established single gather principles

7. Overview • ESA aims – ‘work for those who can, improved support for those who can’t’ • Replaces Incapacity Benefit (including those with an Income Support element) , Severe Disablement Allowance Linking • Carried out over the telephone • User/system questioning – more detail later

8. Information Gathered • All HB/CTB information • Regardless of the sub type of ESA claimed • e.g. capital and income where ESA(C) claimed, rent details for private tenants • Based on HCTB1/CMS • Not changes of circumstance/rapid reclaim

9. Key Benefits • Builds on established principles e.g. • information is gathered once for a number of benefits • information is shared between processing sections • more accurate information • ESA (C) ETDs • Electronic transfer (hard copy contingency)

10. The ESA CAM Claim Process

11. Session Outline • Walk through of the process • Gathering information • Scripts and Associated Paperwork • Benefit Delivery Centre activity • Key Messages

12. Customer rings Contact Centre (0800 no.) Single Call Conducted by Customer Service Agent (CSA) Customer Statement produced , this contains details of all information given, blanks for unanswered questions and details of evidence required

13. Customer checks statement , provides evidence Customer rings Contact Centre (0800 no.) Single Call Conducted by Customer Service Agent (CSA) Customer Statement produced , this contains details of all information given, blanks for unanswered questions and details of evidence required Claim Assigned to BDC

14. Customer checks statement , provides evidence Customer rings Contact Centre (0800 no.) Single Call Conducted by Customer Service Agent (CSA) Customer Statement produced , this contains details of all information given, blanks for unanswered questions and details of evidence required Claim Assigned to BDC Processing Action Missing evidence & information returned to BDC Claim transfer to processing section. At the point of closure LACI produced LACI document received by LA

15. Customer checks statement , provides evidence Customer rings Contact Centre (0800 no.) Single Call Conducted by Customer Service Agent (CSA) Customer Statement produced , this contains details of all information given, blanks for unanswered questions and details of evidence required Medical Questionnaire issued with reply envelope Customer completes questionnaire Claim Assigned to BDC ATOS Healthcare Processing Action Missing evidence & information returned to BDC Work Capability Assessment Claim transfer to processing section. At the point of closure LACI produced LACI document received by LA Customer allocated to support or work group ETD generated (CIS updated) for any HB/CTB adjustment required

16. Claim Process – Gather • Customer Service Agent (CSA) led • Security questions • Series of screen worked through with questions to gather details for ESA benefit claims • Responses input onto CAM • ESA answers populated across to HB screens • HB/CTB only information gathered separately • Limited mandatory questions

17. Claim Process – Questions • Questioning is ‘intelligent’ • On-line support including • page sensitive help • procedures • hyperlinks to rules and regulations

18. Claim Process – Outputs • Customer Statement produced • Claim package sent to customer • covering letter • Customer Statement which includes • details of evidence needed – primary claims only • details of acceptable evidence • required information • Special Rules

19. Claim Process – BDC Action • Checks customer provided evidence against that outstanding • On CAM • enters answers now provided • amends any details • enters details of evidence for the primary claim(s) • BDC requests ATOS perform a Work Capability Assessment • ATOS issues Medical Questionnaire (ATOS Healthcare Action)

20. Claim Process – Outcomes 1 • Evidence Complete • prepares the claim for transfer, when all information/evidence supplied for primary claim(s) • Payment automated via JSAPs • transfer to LA is in electronic form - ‘Local Authority Customer Information’ (LACI)

21. Claim Process – Outcomes 2 • Evidence Incomplete • advises the customer what further information is required • OR interim award made • One calendar month after initial date of claim will make a decision on award based on available evidence • transfer to LA is in electronic form - ‘Local Authority Claim Information’ (LACI)

22. Claim Process – Recording • Calls at both Contact Centre and Benefit Delivery Centre are recorded. • Customer must agree to declaration to make ESA claim. • Retention of recording as per current standards • Exceptional request for the recording via current request procedures for ESA • Sent on CD via recorded courier

23. Key Messages • New and repeat claims for ESA (replacing IB unless linked) • full information gather for HB/CTB • regardless of primary benefit claimed • Jobcentre Plus will verify evidence for primary claims only • HB/CTB claim details sent to LA • via an LA Claim Information form • when information and evidence received for primary benefits • All calls are recorded and stored

24. Related Areas

25. Session Outline • Evidence Checks • Date of claim • Performance Indicators

26. Evidence • Customer has to provide evidence for the primary benefit claim(s) • LACI shows the evidence supplied by the customer relevant to HB/CTB • Should be used for LA verification purposes

27. Date of Claim – HB/CTB • No changes resulting from the introduction of CAM

28. Performance Indicators • Clock starts from the date the LACI is received in the LA’s designated office • If, unusually, a clerical claim is also received the clock starts from the date the earliest claim was received in the LA’s designated office

29. The CAM process for ESA Any Questions?

30. Local Authority Claim Information (LACI) Jackie Daly Housing Benefit Strategy Division

31. Session Outline (1) • LACI Overview • LACI Content – General • LACI Content – Specific • Additional information

32. Session Outline (2) • Guidance and Future Plans • CAM Screen Examples • Workshop Example • Scenarios

33. LACI Overview • the HB/CTB claim information will be sent directly to the Local Authority (LA) on a Local Authority Claim Information (LACI) document • the LACI will be populated with relevant information provided by the customer • a copy of the LACI will be available, if required

34. LACI Content - General The LACI will include: • specific information for the HB/CTB claim • date of first contact • permission to disclose to landlord • details of information verified/not verified

35. LACI Content – Specific (1) Handout 1 Blank LACI

36. ESA Claim Type About Customer Partner Details About Partner Dependants LACI Content – Specific (2) • Other People Who Live with Customer • Hospital • Other Benefits • Other Benefits (cont) • Employment

37. LACI Content – Specific (3) • Other Income • Housing Details • Care Home • Previous HB/CTB • Method of Payment • Education & Training • Abroad • Non State Pension • Savings & Investments • Other Property

38. LACI Content - Specific (4) • only information specific to the customer will be included on the LACI • the LACI will show multiple sets of data if applicable

39. LACI Content - Specific (5) • the LACI does not have a “notes” field • the LACI will not show ethnicity details

40. Additional Information (1) ESA Release 1.2 - some additional information: • customers with a “requested name” in addition to their “real name” • Landlord and Landlord Agent details - “First Name” and “Last Name” fields

41. Additional Information (2) • CTB only claims - blank “Property Details” data and the associated “Rooms in Customer Building” paragraphs

42. Additional Information (3) • Unanswered Questions: • - if fields, that are applicable to the claim, have not been completed on the ESA CAM, blank paragraphs will appear on the LACI • any blank paragraphs, where the information is required, will need to be investigated further by the LAs

43. Guidance and Future Plans • full details will be included in the ESA Guidance for Local Authorities • we will be looking to include enhancements and fixes in future ESA releases

44. CAM Screen Examples Handout 2 Example Screen Shots and Applets

45. CAM Screen Examples Screen Shots Applets

46. CAM Screen Examples (2)

47. Workshop Example Handout 3 Workshop Example

48. Workshop Example – Jack Jones Workshop Example: • Customer rents from “Private” • Customer does not have any additional Communication needs • Customer does not have a Personal Acting Body (PAB) or Corporate Other Payee (COP) • Customer's claim type is Contributory and Income Related • Customer wants to claim both HB and CTB • Customer has a partner • Customer has one dependant • Customer has one other person living with them • Customer is in receipt of War Widows Pension • Customer is employed • Partner is in education/training • Customer and Partner have lived or worked abroad • Customer and Partner have non state pension details • Customer has Savings and Investments – Partner has National Savings certs • Customer and Partner have other property • Customer has Other Income details • Customer rent includes meals, electricity, heating, water authority charges

49. Scenarios Handout 4 Scenarios

50. Scenario 1 – Edward Hall Scenario 1 • What benefit does the customer want to claim? • Who does the customer rent from? • What is the customer’s name(s)? • Does the customer have any additional communication needs? • Does the customer have a Personal Acting Body (PAB) or Corporate Other Payee (COP)? • What is the customer’s ESA claim type? • Does the customer have a partner? • Does the customer have any other people living in the household? If so, how many? • Is the customer taking care of someone? • Is the customer in receipt of any other benefit? If so, what? • Is the customer employed? • Is the partner employed?