Case study taken from:
Learning Labs - Evaluation of the Pilot Projects
University College Northampton

This initiative was set up as a collaborative venture between the Benefits Agency and the Adult Services Finance team in the Social Services department of the local authority. These agencies have not traditionally been close collaborators.

The elderly often miss out on their full entitlement to benefits because they have to deal with a range of government departments and the system may appear confusing and anxiety provoking. Because of the complexity and ever changing nature of the benefits system, social workers visiting the elderly are generally unwilling and unable to give advice about benefits. Before this initiative in Torbay, social workers went out to do assessments for the elderly and they were billed for the services they needed. If these payments entailed financial hardship, they were told to contact the Benefits Agency. It clearly would be better for the elderly person to deal with one agency worker in their own home who could fill in the relevant forms in discussion with them. This is especially true of Attendance Allowance forms, which are so complex that very few claims were previously successfully completed. (Attendance Allowance is for people over pension age with health problems). For the adult section of Social Services there is a financial incentive to improve take up of Attendance Allowances. Their funding from the Treasury increases with the numbers of people in receipt of Attendance Allowance. For all these reasons the manager of Adult Financial Services was encouraged to investigate the potential ways forward.

The manager of Adult Financial Services approached the Benefits Agency to see if they could collaborate and do things differently. Initially the aims were limited. The finance manager explained "It was going to be an attempt to make life less bureaucratic for the client so we asked if the Benefits Agency would let us issue forms as part of our regular work. It mushroomed later and eventually it was decided to initiate a new team based in Adult Financial Services in the Local Authority. To be called the Finance and Benefits (F.A.B.) team, they would be trained to deliver a range of benefits advice to adults, mainly the elderly, in their own homes and offer a complete service. The manager in Financial services underwrote the scheme to enable it to move forward. It was decided to pilot the scheme in one of the three areas in Torbay on a six month trial. Current processes remained in the rest of the bay. The Team Leader of the FAB team was recruited from the Benefits Agency.

The innovation had then to be made to work. At this point frontline staff became fully engaged in the process. The finance manager of Adult Services suggests that this was a creative process for all involved. "Really nobody was in charge. There are rules that the LA and the Benefits Agency have. Most can be redefined and you get left with very few things you cannot do". Frontline staff were involved in creating the systems that made the initiative work. "We had no understanding of how to work together. How we did it was quite open. Pro-formas were designed by staff and went back and forward to the Benefits Agency".

There was a team building day to help frontline staff from the two agencies get to know each other. The Benefits Agency began to refer clients to the FAB team. Any elderly person who telephones the agency and seems to need a range of services including Attendance Allowance will be asked if they would like a visit from a FAB team member. The Benefits Agency is also notified of anyone receiving Attendance Allowance and they will send them a letter asking if they wish to be visited by the FAB team, both the letters and the referral forms were designed by frontline staff. In the Local Authority the FAB team now number ten staff. As well as dealing with referrals, the team cover assessments relating to domicilary care, residential and nursing care, going into people’s homes to ascertain charges for services. Once in the home, discussions about a range of benefits can be introduced. One team member explained "I cannot think of one benefit that we could not help people with". Staff from both agencies agree that it is a great improvement to visit the elderly in their own homes because, among other things, the elderly do not have to worry about the stigma of going to the Benefits Agency or discussing their financial difficulties over the telephone.

The Benefits Agency and Social Services operated with different priorities, so staff had to absorb the different cultures in order to make the initiative work. Piloting the project also created initial problems as two schemes were running at the same time.

A year on, the scheme inspires an enthusiastic response from staff. "It is very rewarding when you see the results". Frontline staff point to high levels of job satisfaction. "When you see the results for the old people you can’t not be enthusiastic". Staff are relieved that the elderly are getting a proper service. "It is great to be able to refer them to the FAB team and know that they will get the help they need". In the Benefits Agency one frontline member of staff explained that it had added to her workload "phenomenally, but that is what you are here for isn’t it?"

In the Local Authority, among the FAB team, staff point out that "face to face contact with someone in the privacy of their own home makes a huge difference". They are aware that one major problem for the elderly was not knowing where to start with their benefits entitlements. The team get excellent feedback both from routine monitoring via monitoring forms and from personal experience. "I have had people come back to me and say that it has changed their lives. They can afford to put the heating on in winter as much as they need it and not just when the social worker comes".

Managers also see a culture change which has taken place including less bureaucracy. Staff have also been encouraged to work with the other agency. "They take for granted their right to pick up the phone to speak to the Benefits Agency". Empowered by the changes mangers are willing to give frontline staff even more freedom and are seeking ways to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy even further.

Guided by some one who knows the benefit system and can fill in the form, the success rate for Attendance Allowance has increased considerably. As the Benefit Agency’s Local Information Officer explained "It is a win situation for Social Services as they get money in the kitty for every successful claim for benefit. The more income the elderly person has coming in, the more they can be charged…but they still keep the lion’s share of the allowance".

Contacts for further information

Debbie Livermore 
Benefits Agency 
AD4
West Country

Telephone: 01752 761696

Last Updated 05/2002