The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
Letter from Lesley Strathie:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many social fund applications from each county were processed in each of the six months before the centralisation in Bristol, and how many have been processed in each month since centralisation. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
As part of the national programme to centralise the processing of Social Fund applications, we are moving all the Social Fund processing work for the South West region to Bristol. The work is being moved in phases and different counties are at different stages of this process. It is envisaged that this work will be completed in 2007.
Social Fund payments encompass a variety of different types of payment, including Crisis Loans, Budgeting Loans, Community Care Grants, Funeral Payments and Sure Start Maternity Grants.
The following tables illustrate the movement of work to date and the number of claims processed in the months either side of the transfer to Bristol.
Whilst the tables show that the numbers of claims being processed initially fell immediately following the transfer of work, which has meant that some customers have experienced delays in receiving payments, I am pleased to report that this position has now recovered.
I hope this is helpful.
Number of Social Fund applications processed by county in the South West Region.
Cornwall
Number November 2005 1,836 December 2005 1,486 January 2006 1,491 February 2006 1,473 March 2006 1,637 April 2006 1,275 May 2006 1,118 June 2006 1,515 July 2006 1,474 Note: Social Fund work for Cornwall was transferred to Bristol from the end of April 2006. Bulk transfer of cases took place in August 2006 so no data available by county after the end of July as it is not possible to differentiate how many of these cases originated from Cornwall.
Devon
Number May 2005 1,896 June 2005 1,736 July 2005 1,864 August 2005 1,321 September 2005 1,363 October 2005 2,306 November 2005 1,608 December 2005 2,152 January 2006 1,343 February 2006 1,432 March 2006 1,549 April 2006 1,418 May 2006 1,676 June 2006 1,860 July 2006 1,943 Note: The processing of Budgeting Loans for Devon customers transferred to Bristol South at the end of October 2005. Bulk transfer of cases took place in August 2006 so no data available by county after the end of July as it is not possible to differentiate how many of these cases originated from Devon.
Number May 2005 2,915 June 2005 3,020 July 2005 2,892 August 2005 2,735 September 2005 2,893 October 2005 2,955 November 2005 3,095 December 2005 2,879 January 2006 3,347 February 2006 2,952 March 2006 3,515 April 2006 2,477 May 2006 2,899 June 2006 3,138 July 2006 2,805 Note: The processing of other (Crisis Loans, Community Care Grants, Funeral Payments and Sure Start Maternity Grants) Social Fund payments transferred to Bristol on 5 June 2006. Bulk transfer of cases took place in August 2006 so no data available by county after the end of July as it is not possible to differentiate how many of these cases originated from Devon.
Gloucestershire
Number August 2005 1,585 September 2005 1,638 October 2005 1,600 November 2005 2,006 December 2005 1,661 January 2006 1,486 February 2006 1,228 March 2006 1,703 April 2006 1,313 May 2006 1,602 June 2006 1,725 July 2006 1,963 Note: The processing of social fund applications for Gloucestershire customers transferred to Bristol from the end of January 2006. Bulk transfer of cases took place in August 2006 so no data available by county after the end of July as it is not possible to differentiate how many of these cases originated from Gloucestershire.
Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire (including Swindon)
Social Fund applications for people living in Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire (including Swindon) have yet to be transferred to Bristol (exact dates are yet to be finalised). The numbers of claims processed in the last six months are as follows:
Somerset Dorset Swindon and Wiltshire March 2006 1,799 3,179 1,839 April 2006 1,493 2,891 1,546 May 2006 1,694 3,264 1,901 June 2006 2,072 3,319 1,784 July 2006 1,789 3,067 1,943 August 2006 1,942 2,901 1,844
West of England (Bristol and South Gloucestershire)
Number October 2005 3,940 November 2005 4,334 December 2005 4,425 January 2006 3,841 February 2006 3,613 March 2006 4,684 April 2006 3,715 May 2006 3,885 June 2006 4,236 July 2006 4,404 August 2006 10,027 Note: From August 2006—figure shown also includes all work from Cornwall, Devon and the remainder of Gloucestershire.