Surveys & consultations
Landlord Survey - 2010
In 2010 a survey was sent to all the landlords we pay claimants' Housing Benefit direct. We hoped to find out how satisfied landlords are with our service.
We asked questions about:
- the ways landlords contact us;
- whether landlords are paid by BACS or cheque and promote the use of BACS;
- whether landlords are notified about benefit payment by email and promote the use of email;
- taking part in a landlord forum;
- reporting a suspected fraud;
- internet access and whether they would use a secure website to access payment information;
- our staff attitude and knowledge;
- the letters we send;
- how long we take to tell them about the amount of benefit;
- Local Housing Allowance;
- requesting direct payments when tenants are eight weeks in rent arrears; and
- improvements landlords would like us to make.
Who filled in the survey?
39 responses were received. This is 23% of surveys issued.
Benefit claimants survey 2010
Between 8 February and 21 March 2010 we sent 288 surveys to customers that had made a claim for Housing Benefit and /or Council Tax Benefit or advised us of a change in their circumstances.
We hoped to find out how satisfied you are with our service and whether we had improved our service since the 2009 survey.
We asked questions about:
- the letters we sent;
- the length of time the letters took to arrive in the post;
- whether or not customers had visited us and if so their opinion regarding their visit;
- whether or not customers had telephoned us and if so their opinion regarding the telephone call;
- Whether or not the customer contacted the office by email;
- Whether or not the customer visited the "one stop shop" service provided at Sawston;
- whether visitors knew they had the option to have their enquiry dealt with in a private room;
- the provision of seating at the office
- filling in the benefits forms;
- how satisfied customers were with the speed their claim was dealt with;
- the ways in which customers can contact the Benefit Service;
- whether customers are aware of how to report a suspected fraud; and
- what improvements customers would like to see made to the service.
Who filled in the survey?
- 79 surveys were sent back. This is 27.43% of the number sent.
- 52% of respondents are pension age customers and 48% are working age.
Download the results of the Benefit Claimants survey 2010
Housing and Council Tax Benefit Survey - 2009
In March 2009 we sent a survey form to all our customers (benefit claimants and landlords) with the annual Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit bulk up-rating letter.
We hoped to find out how satisfied you were with our service
We asked questions about:
- the target we had set ourselves for dealing with new applications;
- the target we had set ourselves for dealing with changes in customers' circumstances;
- whether or not you had visited us and if so what you thought;
- whether or not you had telephoned us and if so what you thought;
- whether you knew you could have your enquiry dealt with in a private room at our office;
- the provision of seating at the office;
- filling in the benefit forms;
- how satisfied you were with the speed your claim was dealt with;
- the ways they can contact the Benefit Service;
- whether you are aware of how to report a suspected fraud; and
- what improvements you would like to see made to the service
Who filled in the survey?
Approximately 6500 forms were sent and 433 survey forms were sent back. This is around 7%.
- 63% pension age customers
- 22% working age customers
- 15% unknown
This was not representative of the district's benefit population, which was 56% pension age and 44% working age.
