Thu 25-Aug-05 09:49 AM by shawn

The National Audit Office (NAO), who scrutinises public spending on behalf of Parliament, is currently conducting a value for money study of contact centres in the Department for Work and Pensions, and would welcome input from welfare rights advisers.

Over recent years, the DWP has increased the number of contact centres - set up to handle a range of contacts with claimants via a variety of contact channels, such as telephone, post, email, and fax - and is now one of the most significant users of contact centres in the country. The increasing use of contact centres to interact with claimants is aimed at improving cost-effectiveness as well as accessibility, choice and quality of service.

The NAO study will look at whether the DWP's contact centres are -

• providing services which can be easily accessed?
  
• providing high quality services?
  
• managed effectively to provide cost-effective services?
  
• supporting the DWP in delivering its business objectives?

the NAO have also contacted us to say that it is currently scoping a potential future study looking at the role of Personal Advisers in Jobcentre Plus ...

.. and would like to hear about your, or your clients', experiences of Personal Advisers. For example, what you think works well and what you think could be improved?

Any information received will be used as part of the NAO's evidence gathering and no one will be directly quoted.

Please forward your responses via email to mailto:rebecca.sidelldawson@nao.gsi.gov.uk