CIPFA - Performance in Public Services: Social Research
Housing and Council Tax Benefit Survey
The driving force behind the development of the survey was the Audit Commission's Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOE) which requires services to identify:
- Are the needs of citizens and users at the heart of the design and delivery of the service now and in the future?
- Are service standards clear and comprehensive and have users been involved in setting them where appropriate?
- Are there are suitable arrangements for consulting, engaging and communicating with users and non-users?
- What is user experience of, and satisfaction with, the quality of the service?
Added to which are a host of questions that senior officers wish to add from a more local perspective, these include:
- Access;
- The experience of making a claim;
- Communication;
- Satisfaction; and
- Demographic data.
A pilot survey was tested by eight authorities: Barking & Dagenham, Bristol, Gateshead, Gloucester, Shropshire, Southwark, Spelthorne, and Windsor & Maidenhead.
The pilot tested questions on a number of themes including: how the visitor first heard about and contacted the office; the claim experience; the notification of entitlement; and demographic data. Additionally the pilot survey was undertaken using a number of different methods specifically: a self-completion visitor survey; a telephone survey (undertaken by LA call centre staff); and by visiting officers.
A joint review was undertaken of the questionnaire and the methods employed by CIPFA and the members of the development group. The group concluded that in order to obtain feedback from the target groups consisting of those who either:
- Successfully negotiated the claim's process and have received a notification confirming their entitlement;
- Successfully negotiated the claim's process and have received a notification confirming their lack of entitlement; or
- Submitted a claim which has been withdrawn or abandoned before completion
that a postal survey would be the most effective method, more details about which can be found by clicking on the tab labelled Postal Survey.
More information about this service is available on request, please contact claire.simmons@cipfa.org.uk to request a copy of the guidance document.