Customer Service Standards

Revenues and benefits

Our customer service standards set out in detail the level of service you can expect from the Revenues and Benefits Department at Swale Borough Council.

Contact

• answer telephone calls promptly and make sure that you can speak to someone who can help you as quickly as possible (normally within 20 seconds)
• reply within 10 working days (if you write to or email the Council) either providing you with a full response; or where this is not possible, informing you of the steps we are taking to provide you with a more detailed response
• use language that is easy to understand in all our written correspondence and will include a contact name and telephone number
• display opening times at the entrance to all Council offices and facilities.

Responding To Users Needs

• consult regularly with different groups and communities to find out if services are appropriate and accessible
• regularly review and improve services to ensure that they meet equality standards
• provide services of a high quality which meet the needs of the local community.

Complaints

• treat all members of the public fairly and without discrimination and treat all complaints seriously
• acknowledge your complaint (if you submit a complaint in writing) including email/online form by return
• investigate your complaint and send you a detailed reply within 10 working days. If we are not able to do so we will inform you when you can expect an answer.

Invoices

• pay undisputed invoices within 30 days.

Criminal Records Bureau Checks

• ensure that all staff working with children and vulnerable people are CRB (criminal records bureau) police checked.

Dealing with your Housing / Council Tax Support application or your Council Tax account

• we will carry out the administration of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support delivery in the Swale area in a prompt and accurate manner
• we will promote the take up of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support and signpost customers to other welfare benefits
• we will prevent the abuse of public funds through an active antifraud policy
• we will collect the Council Tax as set by the Major and Parish precepting Authorities and the National Non-Domestic Rates as set by the Valuation Office Agency and the Secretary of State for Department of Communities and Local Government.
• we will pay a completed Benefits claim within 30 days
• we will deal with any changes in circumstance which may affect benefit entitlement, once the change is reported to us, within 10 days
• we will recover any overpaid benefit effectively but with consideration to individual circumstances
• we will deal with any appeals within 4 weeks
• provide a fair and consistent approach to Council Tax and NDR collection, in accordance with prescribed legislation and procedures.

See our How to comment, complain and feedback webpage.