Benefits Simplification and the Customer (DWP)

This report seeks to provide a customer perspective on how the complexity of the system impinges on them, what factors are important in simplifying the process for customers and to make some proposals as to ways in which the system could be simplified. It looks specifically at benefits for working age customers and their families.

	Benefits Simplification and the Customer
	Contents:
	Executive summary	3
Chapter One:	The benefit check	12
Chapter Two:	An improved application process	21
Chapter Three:	An entitlement record	29
Chapter Four:	New DLA application procedure for children	34
Chapter Five:	The problems of making work pay	49
Chapter Six:	Raise customer awareness of benefits and make changes that encourage and improve take-up	56
Chapter Seven:	Making it easier for customers to make a claim – some interim steps	64
Chapter Eight:	Reducing complexity caused by interaction between benefits	74
Chapter Nine:	Removing complexity that creates barriers to work	83
Chapter Ten:	Alignment	93
Appendix 1:	Summary of proposals	107
Appendix 2:	Organisations who were consulted in compiling the report	116
Appendix 3:	Table showing benefit combinations	117
Appendix 4:	Working with other departments to increase take-up of Disability benefits	120
Appendix 5:	Effect on HB/CTB of TCO averaging childcare costs throughout the year	122
Appendix 6:	Are disabled children more likely than other children to be in poverty	123
Appendix 7:	List of Abbreviations	127