Torbay Council

February 2002

Highlighted parts of this report are omitted from the published version as they may assist fraudsters, contain confidential information or unnecessarily identify individuals.

Contents

• Conclusions
• Recommendations
• Findings
• Introduction
• Getting it right
• Benefit service accessibility and awareness
• Claim form
• Verification work
• Accuracy of data inputting for assessments
• Management checks
• Speed of processing
• Filing systems
• Backlog
• Payments on account
• Stock transfer
• Liaison with BA
• Liaison with ES
• Keeping it right
• Renewal claims
• Changes of circumstances
• Suspending HB payment
• Notices of determination
• Risk assessing claims
• Benefit periods
• Targeted checks
• Reviews and complaints
• Dealing with landlords
• Internal security and controls
• Payment and accounting methods
• Training and guidance
• Liaison with BA on changes of circumstances
• Liaison with ES on changes of circumstances
• Putting it right
• Overpayments
• Fraud
• Cautions, administrative penalties and prosecutions.
• Management checks
• Making sure the strategy works
• Corporate strategy
• Corporate management
• Strategic approach to fraud and error
• Training
• IiP
• Best Value
• Performance monitoring and assurance
• Internal Audit
• External Audit
• Future IT development
• Appendix A: Methods
• Introduction
• Set-up
• Inspection
• Inspection method
• Reporting
• Appendix B: IT security and control
• Abbreviations