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| ‘Nightmare’ benefits
deal victimises needy |
Benefits company under fire as complaints
soar
COMPLAINTS from council tenants over housing benefit claims have
more than doubled in the last year, a government report reveals.
In a letter to Westminster Council, the local government ombudsman
said there had been a “significant increase” in complaints.
It warned that shortfalls in the housing benefit system could “cause
widespread distress among the most vulnerable sectors of society”.
Regent’s Park Labour MP Karen Buck called for the housing benefit
system, run by the private company Capita to be de-privatised and
brought back under council control. Benefits complaints rose from
77 to 173 in a year and accounted for almost half of all complaints
received at City Hall. Ombudsman Tony Redmond said: “Most worrying
for many claimants is the prospect of having their tenancies put
at risk through rent arrears.”
The faults identified by Mr Redmond included delays in making payments,
referrals and decisions on claims and repeated requests for information.
Westminster chief executive Peter Rogers said: “We closely
monitor all complaints and find the information useful. We share
the concern over the rising complaints.
“This service is getting better.”
Ms Buck said City Hall should be put under pressure to improve.
“In the five years since Capita took control of the housing
benefits they have received thousands of complaints because the
system is set up so badly and it should be brought back in-house,”
she said.
“Camden and Kensington boroughs deal with housing benefit in-house
and have very good records. It’s often the most vulnerable
people who are most affected by shortcomings when documents are
routinely lost and claims are not properly processed.”
A spokeswoman for the public service union Unison said: “Capita
are appalling but unfortunately Westminster believe they have to
privatise virtually all council services. When the contract with
Capita was drawn up there was no penalty clause which was disgraceful
and means Capita have been getting away with things for years unchecked.
“It didn’t help that Capita moved most of its staff around
the country meaning it is near impossible for people to get face-to-face
help.”
Councillor for Church Street Barbara Grahame said paperwork went
missing more after Capita moved their processing offices out of
London but added there had been some recent improvements.
Cllr Grahame said: “Housing benefit has been an absolute nightmare
for years. The real losers are the tenants who are getting notice
to quit because their housing benefit has not been paid. There are
grave errors, paperwork is lost and there is a huge backlog –
it is just hopeless.” |
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