About the Benefits Section
The Benefits Section consists of officers employed by the council to administer Housing & Council Tax Benefits on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The Benefits Section also apply Free School Meals on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families. Forms for these can be found on this website.This means that if you are having difficulty in paying your rent and council tax we may be able to help you.
Around 15,080 people receive some form of assistance with rent, council tax or both. To find out if you are eligible to claim benefits please read the guidance notes supplied with the application form, which will also supply you with a variety of contact points and telephone numbers.
Please remember that benefits must be claimed by completing a form, if you do not contact us we may never know that you need our help.
Performance for month of January 2010
- Average time to process a new benefit claim = 20.85 days.
- Total New Claims Actioned = 703
- Average time to decide new entitlement following a change = 8.55 days.
- Total Changes in Circumstances Actioned = 3101
- 97% of claims checked were calculated correctly.
Statement of Intent
We want to:
- Provide a modern, efficient, effective, and secure benefit delivery service, which is customer-focused, tackles poverty and isolation, and minimises barriers to work.
- Assess benefit entitlement quickly and accurately.
- Reduce levels and risks of fraud and error by maintaining a high standard of Verification in accordance with the Housing & Council Tax Benefit Regulations
- Provide comprehensive information to the public on benefits so that they are informed about their entitlements and enabled to claim and receive benefits.
- Provide clear explanations of how decisions on claims are reached; including information about appeal rights.
- Ensure the correct amounts of benefit are paid on time, with proper safeguards against fraud and abuse. Where overpayments of benefit do occur, ensure recovery is made by the most effective methods without causing hardship.
- Develop and evaluate activities; provide information on the operational implications of current and proposed legislation including forecasting trends and benefit expenditure.
- Achieve targets in line with the agreed National and Local Performance Indicators.
- Ensure that the departments resources are managed economically, efficiently and effectively at all levels, and maintain financial and management information systems.
- Encourage and develop staff at all levels by creating an environment that encourages both personal development and participation in the creation and achievement of aims and objectives.
- Implement a robust anti-fraud strategy in order to protect public funds and to ensure that benefits are delivered to those who have a true entitlement to them.
Contact Us
Should you wish to contact the office you can do so by emailing benefits@herefordshire.gov.uk or by telephone on (01432)260333 Monday - Thurdsay 8.45 - 5.15 Friday 8.45 - 4.45. Alternatively you can write to us at Herefordshire Council, The Benefits Office, PO Box 224, Hereford, HR1 2XW.