IMPROVEMENTS TO ENFORCEMENT AT CHILD SUPPORT AGENCY

5 Jul 2005 11:45 AM

Work and Pensions Minister Lord Hunt today acknowledged the amount of work the Child Support Agency needs to do to gain the trust of its clients.

Following the publication of the Independent Case Examiner's annual report 2004/05 for the Child Support Agency, Lord Hunt said: "I am grateful to the Independent Case Examiner for her report. It highlights the amount of work the Agency still needs to do to improve its relationship with its clients.

"We have appointed a chief executive who is now three months into the job and is making sure that customer service is a top priority for the Agency.

"We have also appointed a head of enforcement and the report acknowledges that we are improving in this area. The amount our bailiffs collected was double what we achieved in the previous year. Although there is still a long way to go, this is a step in the right direction and an indication of the Agency's determination to improve the service it provides to clients."

Stephen Geraghty, Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency, said: "It is disappointing that the number of complaints from clients has increased over the past year.

"The Agency's senior management team is working to develop a new strategy which will help address the problems this report highlights. Our strategy will have our clients at the heart of it, focusing on their needs, and will set out how we will be able to provide them with a quality, sensitive and efficient service. "

Notes to editors

1. Jodi Berg is the Independent Case Examiner for the Child Support Agency and the Northern Ireland Social Security Agency.

2. The Independent Case Examiner provides an independent complaints review service for the Child Support Agency. The Examiner will only investigate cases after all internal complaints handling procedures have been exhausted.

3. The Child Support Agency was one of the first to introduce an independent element to its complaint handling processes - this example has been followed by other government agencies in order to provide a high level of customer service. The Agency is committed to working closely with Independent Case Examiner.

4. Copies of the Independent Case Examiner's Annual Report can be accessed from 11am on 05 July via the Independent Case Examiner's website: www.ind-case-exam.org.uk, or requests can be made by ringing 0151 801 8800 or E-mailing ice@ukgov.demon.co.uk.

5. Enforcement figures: In 2004-05 the Agency's bailiffs collected £2.97m - nearly double the £1.5m achieved in the previous year through the actions of its bailiffs alone.

6. Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency Stephen Geraghty took up his post on 4th April 2005.

Public enquiries: 020 7712 2171
Textphone: 020 7238 0788
Website: www.dwp.gov.uk