COUNCIL staff helping some of the most vulnerable people across West Cheshire are celebrating a record customer satisfaction rating.
In May and June this year independent researchers looked at every aspect of the service in a random survey of two thousand households claiming housing and council tax benefits.
And claimants awarded staff in CWAC’s revenues and benefits and customer services teams a bumper overall customer satisfaction rating of 85.2 per cent.
Cllr Les Ford, finance and resources executive member, said: “We are delighted with this result. It is a tremendous testimony to the level of professionalism and care shown by our staff to those who most need it.”
Housing and council tax benefits are paid to 28,500 households in West Cheshire – an increase of 2,500 since April 2009.
The rise is due both to the present economic circumstances and the success of CWAC’s “Everyone Benefits” campaign which succeeded in achieving an extra £509,000 for residents.
Cllr Ford added: “This was money to which our residents were fully entitled but not getting.
“Thanks to the diligence of our staff, who beat their own target by £109,000, they are now doing so.”
While there were many reasons for the high overall satisfaction rating, one of the main reasons could well have been the decision to scrap a 30-page means test form.
CWAC’s revenue and benefits service has produced its own ‘severely pruned’ 11-page version which has been much appreciated by staff and claimants alike.
Beverley Wright, service development manager, said: “Dealing with benefit claims is frequently a difficult and highly sensitive job and such a formidable form certainly did not help.
“I’d like to think that producing our own version reflects the help and understanding we try to show in our everyday dealings with people who not only need assistance but are entitled to it.”