New package for benefit claims

Capita Software Services and SunGard Public Sector have announced a joint initiative to help local authorities processing housing and council tax benefit claims.

The 'Risk and Verification Portal' will allow authorities shared access to a range of search functions. It will allow authorities to carry out automated risk assessment for such claims.

This software, the first of its kind, will provide real-time risk analysis and the introduction of a national claimant search, resulting in a streamlined verification process.

Designed to simplify the benefit verification process, the risk and verification portal has been engineered to complement and enhance the existing benefit assessment process.

It also broadens the search process by allowing a more thorough check to be carried out automatically on the claimant. For example, the national search function can assess if a person is claiming housing and council tax benefits within any local authority and therefore prevent people claiming at different addresses simultaneously. This will help identify and prevent fraud and error.

Paul Millard, operations director of Capita Software Services, commented: "By collaborating with SunGard we have created a user friendly system whereby local authorities can carry out risk assessment in real time.

"Customers will benefit by having their claims processed quicker as early trials have shown that 61% of claims fall into the 'low' risk category and therefore will qualify for the more streamlined verification process. We feel this is a really positive step in tackling challenges that local authorities face in administering housing and council tax benefits."

Lambeth LBC and Glasgow City Council are due to pilot the risk and verification portal over the next two months.