Issue - meetings

The committee received a report which presented the Certification of claims and returns annual report by Ernst and Young, the Council’s external auditor.

In response to members’ questions the Benefits Manager said the following:

i.             As part of the audit process, the Council had to assure the Department for Works and Pensions (DWP) that the Council is trying to reduce errors in the payment of benefits.  The Benefits section is in the process of recruiting a Compliance Officer who will undertake specific subsidy related monitoring for the classification of overpayment subsidy and income assessment.  Areas for Officer training have also been identified. Managers are also regularly setting aside time to undertake checks for work that has been undertaken the previous day.

ii.            Where a benefit underpayment was identified the correct payment would be paid to the claimant as soon as possible. 

iii.           If there had been a local authority error in the overpayment of a benefit payment, the authority would look to see whether the claimant would have been aware of the error and the individual’s circumstances would also be considered before a decision was made as to whether to pursue the overpayment or if the overpayment should be written off.

Resolved (unanimously) to:

i.             Note the contents of Ernst and Young’s report as attached at Appendix 1 of the Officer’s report.