Our statement of intent
Our main priorities
- To provide an accurate, fast and efficient benefits and financial assessments service to the people of Manchester. We will provide good value for money and we will deliver the service in line with accepted best practice.
- To reduce fraud, and the risk of fraud, in the benefits and financial assessments systems by using effective processes to prevent, detect and investigate fraud.
- To involve residents, landlords and partners to help shape the service and improve our performance so that we are recognised as a high performing council.
We will also:
- help residents live in decent housing;
- increase residents' income by telling them about other benefits they could claim;
- reduce barriers to work by providing a service which working people can use easily and which helps people who are starting work by providing support and advice and dealing promptly with changes in their circumstances;
- be sensitive to every resident's needs and make sure everyone in the community can contact us and use our services;
- use technology to improve self-service, assisted self-service and local service delivery;
- make sure that residents receive the correct amount of benefit or financial support;
- reduce mistakes (and the risk of mistakes) by providing good quality training, guidance, processes and monitoring;
- prevent, reduce and recover overpayments of benefit or financial support;
- provide well-trained, professional staff;
- communicate clearly and openly; and
- encourage, learn from, and act on feedback from staff, residents and stakeholders.