Benefits

Benefits statement of intent

Medway Council’s vision is that Medway will be thriving, confident and healthy, a place where people are proud to live, work and learn. There will be opportunities for everyone to achieve and succeed, and to get the most out of life. We will celebrate the diversity of our communities, tackling disadvantage in all its forms.

Medway Revenues & Benefits Service statement of intent reflects the type of service we aim to provide and links the vision for the Housing and Council Tax Benefit service to the aims and objectives of the Corporate Plan, Community Plan and national Performance Standards aims and objectives.

We are committed to:

• Providing an effective and secure housing and council tax benefit system that is continuously seeking to improve and reducing the risks of fraud and error.
• Delivering a modern, customer-focused & efficient housing and council tax benefit system that is set within the broad context of local authority and stakeholder strategies in order to meet wider strategic objectives.
• Ensuring that the necessary priority is given to benefits administration to raise standards.
• Providing value for money to all stakeholders by delivering a cost effective service.
• Ensuring that all involved with administering or claiming Housing Benefit understand what they must do to make the system effective and secure.

Through this commitment our service users will find we:

• ensure people receive the benefit to which they are entitled
• are accessible to everyone in the community
• are speedy and accurate
• minimise barriers to work
• help people to live in decent housing
• maximise the recovery of overpayment of benefit and protect council finances
• always investigate potential fraud and punish benefit fraudsters.

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