Wellbeing Services

Housing Needs

Benefits, Customer Services and Bereavement Services
To provide information, advice and resolution to our customers through face to face, telephone, email, SMS, fax and web customer access channels.

An efficient Benefits service to provide support to families and vulnerable people in order to reduce the current levels of deprivation and disadvantage in the community.

Revenues & Debt Management

• To collect Council Tax and National Non-Domestic Rates, as quickly as possible whilst retaining a sympathetic attitude to those who have difficulty paying on time.

• To take the appropriate debt enforcement action in accordance with the Council’s Debt Recovery Policy utilising the full range of available legal powers including operating the council’s internal Bailiff Service.

• To provide a modern, customer focussed, efficient, effective and secure Benefits Investigation Service in order to reduce fraud and error in accordance with national targets and the regulations.

• To identify and investigate suspected fraudulent Housing and Council Tax Benefit claims and take action as appropriate  including issuing cautions, penalties and prosecutions as necessary.

• To recover outstanding invoices for Housing and Council Tax Benefit overpayments as quickly as possible.

Private Sector Housing

• Arrange/provide finance for the improvement and maintenance of private sector housing with emphasis on older properties and the more deprived areas.

• Help vulnerable households to improve their homes to the decent homes standard.

• Work with landlords to provide and manage good accommodation for the rented sector.  Focus on the needs of older people to help them maintain their independence and live in a comfortable and secure property.

• Provide the focus and confidence to encourage inward private investment in private sector housing.

• Develop local area strategies linked to regeneration, development or improvement plans to improve the general condition of private sector housing and its environment.

Construction Services