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What Can You Expect From Us?

 

Service standards

We strive to deliver excellent services to all the customers of the service. Our service statement pledges that we will:

• Provide a flexible and responsive service for the residents of Hambleton District Council
• Ensure benefits staff are trained and competent
• Make sure that all our correspondence and forms are clear and easy to understand
• Explain how benefits are calculated
• Advise customers of their appeal rights where appropriate
• Review benefit entitlement to ensure accuracy
• Pay benefits promptly to customers, and consider alternative payees where appropriate
• Deal firmly but fairly with those customers who do not promptly notify changes in their circumstances.
• Deal sympathetically with requests for backdated benefit where good reasons can be given for a late claim
• Listen to our customers feedback and improve those areas of the service that are not working well
• Provide private interview facilities

Customers can expect:

• A polite and responsive service at all times
• Home visits within 5 days of requesting assistance
• To be seen within 10 minutes of entering the Civic Centre
• A same day response to telephone queries or message, where this is not possible the response will be the next day
• Response to e-mails within 24 hours
• Assistance in completing forms
• A full reply to general correspondence within 10 working days, where more detailed research is required up to 15 days
• The right to an explanation or to complain if we fall short on our pledges to you
• Accurate information
• To have the law relating to Housing and Council Tax Benefits accurately applied

Help us to help you by:

• Providing an honest and full account of all circumstances
• Checking your application form carefully, making sure you have answered all questions and then signing it
• Supplying the evidence requested with your application or explaining when this will follow
• Promptly notifying us of any changes in circumstances likely to affect your Benefit
• Responding to our requests for further information as soon as possible but within 7days, or giving reasons for any delay
• Understanding that your claim may be delayed if we are waiting for information from you
• Quoting your benefit reference number to us when making enquiries by telephone, when you write to us or visit us
• Bearing in mind that staff may already be engaged with someone else
• Being patient if you cannot get through to the Benefits Office - it is because it is busy - please try later or leave a message at the switchboard, write, call in or email us on benefits@hambleton.gov.uk.