The Kent Benefits Partnership which was officially launched on 15 March 2004 is already making a significant impact on the lives of pensioners across Kent. The campaign to increase pensioner take up rates of council tax benefits includes all the Councils in Kent, Kent Constabulary and Public Sector Consultants. Jim McDonald, Director of Corporate Services in Canterbury City Council and Chairman of the Project Board said "I am delighted that in the first 4 months we have an extra 750 of Kent's pensioners receiving benefits worth an average of £700".
All of the new claimants are owner occupiers which research shows are the hardest group to reach with one of the lowest rates of take up of any benefits to which they are entitled. Jim continued, "There have been lots of positives from the project so far, good links have been established with the Pensions Service and growing links with other partners are being developed. Also, there’s greater co-operative working among the local authorities. We now need to focus on getting a new wave of interest and converting this into completed applications. The Project Board and Public Sector Consultants are working to achieve this".
"We have produced a report which raises some important points to be addressed should the scheme be adopted elsewhere. The report highlights the fact that such projects are extremely hard to set up and as a result, no one knows the exact numbers of pensioners eligible for council tax benefit", said Eleanor Kelly, of Public Sector Consultants.
Two of the Partnership Board members are presenting at this years IRRV Conference. Shirley Jones from Maidstone BC and David Willis from Dover DC will be speaking about the issues surrounding benefit take up campaigns.
