About The CampaignWhat we are fighting for
Joined Up Government
"I don't have a clue about my entitlement, how the calculations are made or anything"
Laura, mother who works part time.
In the News:
Highlighting the necessity to have a simplified and joined up system:
- HMRC- Tackling the hidden economy report 9th December 2008 Blog: 8,300 small businesses or self employed formalise as a result of more positive and informative advertising campaigns
- Joined up government : Dept. for Communities and Local Government (CLG) Strengthening Local Efforts to Tackle Economic Challenges
- Pre budget report
- Conservatives on cutting VAT taxes and emerging enterprises from the informal economy
- DWP loses £2bn to fraud and error 7/8/2008
- Tax Credits Explained 09/07/08 the Times Online
- Tax credit error report by National Audit Office
- Edwards Leigh, blames HMCR for tricky forms, website and telephone service.
- Citizens Advice response to HM Treasury
Example of joined up services:
- New National Advancement Service will break down barriers to work.
- HMRC - Dedicated phone lines as part of the work of Agents and Employers Service Improvement Programme (AESIP)
- Communities and Local Government: Funding for the long term unemployed
Joined up Government departments to tackle rogue empoyers:
Moving into or towards paid formal employment, or progressing in work gives rise to a range of unpredictable outcomes to which people may find it hard to adapt to.
Yet there is no clear set of policy or delivery responses:
- the range of different benefit and tax credits are too complicated and complex in their interactions with each other.
- Some out of work benefits are withdrawn at a faster rate than in work benefits are processed, leaving a person worse off and more likely to get further into debt.
- Many people are unaware of in work benefits they are entilled to, or avoid them as they are too complicated.
A joined up strategy and governance
- The Government should have clear objectives with the goal of eradicating child poverty and securing formal employment.
- A clear and holistic strategy is needed across government .This should be supported by a set of outcome targets and should be included in the pre budget report.
- One Government department should be given overall responsibility for these aims, they should be responsible for the ownership of the 'total customer experience
- Changes to the Benefit or Tax system should be proofed with interactions with other existing systems
- Systems shouldbe designed around individuals' life needs, not departmental needs.
- The Work and Pensions and Treasury select committees should jointly oversee the activities of relevant government departments
Read more detailed report on the interaction between between benefits and tax credits when moving into work : Interact or Problems in the delivery of benefits, tax credits and employment services.
The Citizens Advice has released a report Barriers to Work in which their central recommendation is that the Government should set up a Welfare and Poverty Commission to examine the interaction of the benefits, tax credit and tax systems, in order to minimise complexity and to ensure that work pays.