CSA Clearing Applications Quicker
31/01/2008
Latest figures show the Agency is clearing applications quicker than ever and improving customer service.
The Agency’s Quarterly Summary of Statistics, published today, showed that:
- 83% of applications made in July 2007 were cleared in 18 weeks, exceeding the Operational Improvement Plan commitment to clear 80% of cases in 18 weeks by March 2008.
- 87% of new applications received in June 2007 were cleared within 26 weeks, exceeding the Secretary of State 80% target.
- The volume of uncleared new scheme applications has fallen by over 7,000 since September 2007 and are down by 45% since March 2006. At 121,000, these are at lowest point since December 2003, significantly exceeding the Secretary of State target of 140,000 by March 2008.
- In the year to December 2007, the Agency collected or arranged £974.5m in child maintenance, of which £116m was arrears.
- The Agency answered 98% of telephone calls available to answer, with an average waiting time of 20 seconds, up from 91% answered with a waiting time of 59 seconds in the year ending March 2006.
By the end of December 2007, more than half a million (500,800) cases were in receipt of maintenance or had a maintenance direct arrangement in place. Over 674,700 children are now benefiting from maintenance collected and arranged by the Agency. This is up from 433,200 cases benefiting 596,800 children in March 2006.
DWP Minister James Plaskitt praised the improvements, and said:
Today’s figures underline again the improvements that continue to be made by the CSA as we move toward the introduction of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
Our commitment is to get more money for more children, while reducing child poverty. It is therefore reassuring to see that by the end of last year, the volume of uncleared, new applications had fallen by over 7,000 since September 2007 and is at its lowest point for more than four years.
All the other key indicators, such as the amount of money collected and even the number of calls being answered, are also moving in the right direction. I want to thank those working in the Agency for all their hard work over the last year and I’m sure they will continue making solid progress in 2008.
Read a copy of the quarterly summary of statistics
