Hello all

We are back in the arena of having to justify our existance (again!).I am trying to find out what other LAs have second tier welfare rights services and what areas of advice you cover (eg - benefits, housing, debt etc).
I'd also be really interested if anyone has any experience of the outsourcing of their service, or the creation of the service into a social firm.
Obviously the arguments for retention of the service are well rehearsed, but any tips would be gratefully received.
I am happy to treat information I receive as 'in confidence'.If any one is able to help please email me at:

claire.tolliday@socserv.suffolkccc.gov.uk

Thanks

Mon 13-Nov-06 12:21 PM by ken

(Edited to fix broken link)

Claire

Not directly related to your post, but have you seen the literature research commissioned by NAWRA about the case for welfare rights. It's available at www.nawra.org

Yes, already got that and am using it. Thanks

Hi Claire,
Same old case for justification every year. The received wisdom is that budgets for 07/08 are a lot worse than originally antipcated, whic was bad anyway. Have you signed up for any LPSA stretched targets for the next 3 years? If so, do they include AA, DLA, HB and PC and what would be the literal cost of failure?

What's the link between SCC's Fairer Charging/supporting people Policy and increased income collected from SUs as a result? Would there be such a link if the voluntary sector obtained the benefits but did not tie them in with SUs ability to pay for services? What would happen to SCCs income if you weren't there?

Are you developing joint teams with The Pension Service & district councils? If so, how is quality control of outputs measured? Who ensures expertise? Who looks after the benefit needs of working age clients?

IS SCC going for unitary status (sorry, but I don't know if it is already)? If so, what would be the value of a team operating as HB and Welfare Rights operatives for a joined-up service?

How does your own in-house service compare with voluntary sector providers? Has everyone delivering benefits advice got CLS QM? To what extent is there duplication of effort across the county by you and the voluntary sector? What can you provide that they can't? For example coverage outside major population centres. What's the cost of delivery? What's the added value you give?

Does what you do tie in with the SCC vision or any of its aims? if so, how?

Or is it all money, the budget is shot to pieces, there will be cuts, so get your coat?

It seems to me that the bottom line is demonstrating bringing money into the council more so than into the county. So how are you affecting the yearly Settlement by getting AA, DLA et al claims in?

If you've already considered this, or it's not germane, I apologise for wasting your time, but it's what we have to consider here every year. It can come down to having lots of stats atats stats at your fingertips (eg from LASAs own database) or in-house spreadsheets the size of small countries.

I'm quite happy to talk 'off-air' if it'a about sensitive and political issues: Rob.Price@shropshire-cc.gov.uk