Jobcentre Plus problems continue
Despite improvements, some issues have yet to be fully resolved
Jobcentre Plus (JC+) still faces considerable problems, despite contingency measures introduced last year to overcome issues with the new Customer Management System (CMS).
MPs debating the agency’s performance in the House of Commons last week said that despite some improvements since the low point last August, the problems with JC+ have not been fully resolved.
Contact centres running CMS had to revert to paper processing of new benefits claims when a combination of technical and staffing issues caused havoc and left some claimants waiting two months for payments to start.
Terry Rooney, chairman of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, told MPs that despite improvements, applicants are still having difficulty pursuing claims. Ninety-four per cent of incoming calls are now met, but that still means 1,000 calls a day are unanswered, he said.
Problems arose because the agency tried to do too many things at once, said Rooney.
‘The agency was trying to carry out four major projects at the same time: rationalisation of the estate; the creation of JC+ offices; the integration of a new IT system; and the very significant headcount reductions,’ he said.
CMS was intended to underpin staff cuts of nearly 11,000 by March 2006, but the system did not deliver, said MP Harry Cohen. ‘The computer system is not filling the staff gap,’ he said.
Jim Murphy, minister for employment and welfare reform, said the department has changed its approach since the Committee branded JC+ service levels a ‘catastrophic failure’ in March.
‘We have started refocusing our IT strategy on the changes that we will need to make to support our welfare reform programme,’ he said.
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