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The Benefits Service run on behalf of Liverpool City Council by Liverpool Direct Limited has been selected as a finalist by the prestigious Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV) for a national award for its highly successful and innovative work in helping customers to claim all of the benefits that they are entitled to.

The award that the Benefits Service has been short-listed for is the high profile ‘Excellence in Social Inclusion’ award. The Award ceremony will be held at the national conference in Bournemouth on 2nd October 2009.

Cllr Warren Bradley, Leader of Liverpool City Council and a Board Director of Liverpool Direct Limited stated: “It is absolutely vital that people get all of the benefits that they are entitled to as quickly and easily as possible. We are committed to giving our most vulnerable residents as much support as possible, and our partnership with Liverpool Direct Limited is enabling us to do that. To be shortlisted for this award is a great achievement for the staff and an honour for the city.”

The Benefits Service in Liverpool, managed by Liverpool Direct Limited on behalf of Liverpool City Council, has developed an innovative and far-reaching strategy for benefit maximisation and take-up. The Benefit Service has committed itself to, and is delivering an integrated service, where benefit maximisation and take-up is central to its approach.

As a result the Benefits Service has transformed the City’s approach to benefit take up. Access to benefits advice has been greatly expanded; services have been integrated so that customers only have to provide financial information once to access their entitlements to all benefits and tax credits; and vulnerable and under-claiming groups are being identified and targeted. In three years the Service has generated over £22M in additional benefit income for Liverpool residents and has also substantially increased council revenues through increasing incomes

Deputy Council Leader Flo Clucas, who is also responsible for Finance, said: “It can be really hard for people to find their way around the benefits maze, particularly if they’ve never been out of work before. The recession means the work of the Benefits Maximisation Team has never been more important. In many cases they’ve secured thousands of pounds of extra annual income, which can make a massive difference. This recognition is further evidence that we are doing all we can to support the most vulnerable in Liverpool.”