Designing Citizen-shaped Services:

The ’Locality’ Approach

CONTEXT

OUR JOURNEY

CHECK

•FOLLOWED THE VANGUARD MODEL FOR CHECK

DEMAND

CAPTURE

•ONE STOP SHOPS (FACE TO FACE)

•BACK OFFICE (TELEPHONE)

SERVICE AREAS

•RENT AND WELFARE

•TENANCY MANAGEMENT

•ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

WHAT WE LEARNT

RENT

ARREAR

S

•A high proportion of customer demand is presented through rent arrears recovery

DEMAND

•There is typically a problem to solve from presenting demand

•Presenting demand typically differs to demand in context

PROBLEM

SOLVING

•We typically problem solve in isolation of internal and external silos

•Problem solving very often requires a multi-agency approach

What next?We wanted to understand more about why tenants fell into rent arrears?

PROFILING

•We profiled 3,000 tenants rent accounts

•And flowed in detail 75 customer journeys

CUSTOMER

JOURNEYS

•30% had never had arrears

•39% had occasional arrears

•17% had regular arrears

•14% Were having enforcement action taken against them

WHY ?

•In and out of work

•Varying work hours

•Redundancy / Getting paid from an employer

•Family problems / relationship breakdowns

What next?We decided to trial a new way of working

Why?

•To help tenants resolve rent arrears problems by focusing on demand in context

How?

•Work to a set of principles not procedures

•Think out of the box and throw away the rule book!!!

•Take ownership of cases and remove silo working

Where?

•Winyates – Area identified as Highest Need

•662 Council tenancies

•Rent/Welfare Officer, Tenancy Management Officer, Home Support Officers (ASB Officer joined the team later)

What typically happened in ‘old world’?

Rent OfficerMonitor Account

Rent Arrears

Follow rent arrears

Procedure

Enforce payment by

eviction process

Receive payment

stop eviction

What typically happened in ‘old world’?

CustomerMiss a

payment

Rent Arrears

Make arrangements to

pay

Fail arrangement

Borrow money to make payment to prevent eviction

We didn’t actually know ……We only considered presenting demand…!!

What does it feel like for customers in our ‘old’ system?

So what did we do?.......

Working to Purpose

1

• Help me to resolve the problem(s) I have in my life/family/home community.

2

• Understand what I need from my community and support me to be involved in defining how I can participate in its future.

Working to Principles

1• You understand me and the

problems I need help to solve

2• You take as long as

necessary to understand me

3

• You do only what is necessary to create space for me to solve my problems

Top Demands in Context

Problem to solve No. %I need help to manage my money 38 16%I need help with benefits 24 10%I need a more suitable property 20 9%I need support to live my life independently

14 6%

I need to make an arrangement I can afford

14 6%

I need help to equip my home 13 6%I need help with my health 12 5%I need help with my child/children 11 5%Help me to be safe in my home 11 5%I need help with my new heating system 7 3%

System Conditions - Internal

Access to advice - housing benefit entitlement 30%

Waiting List/Allocations - understanding need v's suitability of area/accomodation 18%

Access to home support - maintaining independent living 13%

ASB/Tenancy/Options cross working - different purpose

9%

Allocations policy - moving with debt 7%

Income maximization 7%

Change to heating - access to advice to use/affordability

7%

Adaptations high demand 7%

System Conditions - External

Access to budget management/bank account advice 31%

Access to advice - benefit entitlement 30%

Access to finance/debt advice 24%Access to support to resolve life issues (other than addiction)

13%

Access to support to maintain independent living

13%

Access to a health service - addiction 9%

Multi-agency involvement not necessarily solving the problem (different purposes)

9%

Access to advice - income maximization 7%

Realisation...

If we continued to work with partners in the same way, they could not help as they were constrained by their own system.

Police

Housing

GP

Access Centre

64% Value 36% Failure

What hits front doors isn’t all work...

47% Value 53% Failure

65% Value 35% Failure

63% Value 37% Failure

.

We worry about eligibility and risk

Demand is rising - we need to keep

appointments short

Be the gatekeeper

Meet the numbers

Understanding their journey through our system

What does it feel like for citizens

What did we know about ‘A’ & when...

Employment• I’ve had to give up

my job

Finance• I’m struggling

financially• My ex has left me

with debts

“I need help”

Safety & Security• I am a victim of domestic abuse• I’m a victim of sustained domestic

abuse • I’m being harassed by my ex • I’m worried about keeping my

daughter safe

“I need help”

Home• I’m homeless • I’ve been threatened with eviction • I need a bigger home

Self• I live away from my

family• Isolated socially

Relationships• I’m struggling to cope

with 3 children• I’m trying to cope with 4

children on my own & am pregnant

• Impact of DV on children• My relationship is under

strain• I’m struggling to cope with 6

children “I need help”

“I can’t cope”

Health• My health is deteriorating • Depressed and in pain

“I need help”

In 2001 In 2004 In 2008

Capability and CostWhat ‘A’ said she

wanted:• “I need help with

housework and...• ..gaining access to the

upstairs of the property.

• The two things that would have such a profound effect on mine and the children’s lives.”

What ‘A’ received:• 2 x Anger

Management Courses for 2 boys.

• Triple P Parenting Programme.

• Help cleaning 1 bedroom.

• Toilet frame, Perching stool & Bath board (for a bath she could not access)..

And it took this many people to deliver it...• 8 Social Workers.• 22 Support Workers

allocated.• 30 Referrals in core flow.• 16 Assessments in core

flow.• 36 Teams/Services.

Capability and CostCost of what ‘A’ wanted:•Cleaner, 10hrs/wk for 4 years: £14,560

• Move to suitable property: £1,200

• Stair lift: £5,000

• Total: £20,760Cost of what ‘A’ has received:• Under-estimate

of all activities since mid-2008.

• Use of 2009 costs.• TOTAL: £106,777

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 to Oct

£-

£20,000

£40,000

£60,000

£80,000

£100,000

£120,000 Difference...£86k!

And it’s not over yet!

Difference...£720,741 !

Current Approach Projection Assumptions• Court action re ‘A’ and her Father.• 5 children remain in foster care

until they are 18.• Not including further intervention

by police or s/services.• TOTAL CUMULATIVE COST:

£781,541

Alternative Approach Projection Assumptions• 10 hrs cleaning each week until

youngest son leaves foster care.• Not including further intervention

by police or s/services

• TOTAL CUMULATIVE COST: £60,800

Calculated using DfE Family Savings Calculator

Current Approach

Alternative Approach

Knowledge is power, we are more special than you are

We don’t trust each other or citizens

We worry about risk!!!

Needs are complex

Protect our budgets/income

We focus on activities and

targets!!!

Thanks but that does not help me

My problem is getting worse

No-ones taking responsibility for

helping me solve my problem

There are real barriers to sharing

data

We focus on doing our bit

and then pass it on

We close the case if

other agencies

are involved

We use standard risk assessments to decide whether this

one is for us or if we can pass it on

We pass info to other agencies even when we

don’t expect them to do anything

T

S

P

Referrals lead to more

referrals

Referrals between agencies are the way to get things

done

We process issues rather

than fix them

We record everything

Everyone's got a bit of knowledge but no-

one’s doing anything even when its getting

worse

There are multiple assessments by multiple

agenciesWe only do what we have to

We notice and record when people aren’t coping but

don’t do anything about it

• We believed what we were doing was working; making a difference – it isn’t.

• We missed opportunities to provide real help.• Red flags not ‘heard’ or ‘seen’ in the system.• We didn’t understand what mattered to the

individual or the problem to solve• The system focuses on the child – we miss/fail to

act on the stated needs of the adult.• We intervene with sanctions, coercion & threats –

not help.

Summary of Learning 1/2

• We work in silos – we chop up people into functional activity.

• Assessment/referral leads to more assessment/ referral but problems don’t get solved.

• Everyone’s got a bit of knowledge but no one doing anything meaningful even when things are obviously getting worse.

• It’s OK because we have plans in place & review activity (not outcomes).

• Our work is crisis led.• We have an episodic relationship with citizens

Summary of Learning 2/2

OUR LOCALITY APPROACH

Working to Purpose

1

• Help me to resolve the problem(s) I have in my life/family/home community.

2

• Understand what I need from my community and support me to be involved in defining how I can participate in its future.

Working to Principles

1• You understand me and the

problems I need help to solve

2• You take as long as

necessary to understand me

3

• You do only what is necessary to create space for me to solve my problems

Old World v’s New World

Policy and ProceduresTarget driven

Team Specialisms in silos:• Rent/Welfare Team • Tenancy Management

Team• Home Support Team• ASB Team (different

directorate/location)

Purpose and PrinciplesMeasures driven

One Team based in locality:Housing Locality LeaderHousing Locality Officers• Rent Specialism• Tenancy Management

specialism • ASB specialismHome Support Officers

Old World v’s New World

‘Case is on my list/my patch therefore its my responsibility to deal with it’

Other teams will pick up their responsibilities

‘Referrals’

‘I am the owner of this case’

‘How can I help you get the help you need’

‘Pull’

Measuring OutcomesThe Triangle

Specialist Professional Help (Long Term Support Needs)

Multiple Problems to solve (I could go either way)

Housing professional

problems to solve (I am living my life

ok)

How are we doing: The TriangleWhere did I start?

5%

Specialist Professional Help (Long Term Support)

Multiple Problems to solve (I could go

either way)

Housing professional problems to solve (I am living my life ok)

31%

64%

How are we doing: The TriangleWhere did I start? Where did I end up?

50%

5%

Specialist Professional Help (Long Term Support)

5%Multiple Problems to

solve (I could go either way)

Housing professional problems to solve (I am living my life ok)

31%

64%

15%

80%

How are we doing?: Trial Cases in rent arrears`

• 65% of the cases have been successful• 35% even though arrears have increased, it has been a result of

external influences• All customers still engaging with us on some level. • 4 properties have become void and re-let• 3 of the new tenants have

a clear rent accounts• 1 of the new tenants

although in arrears due to a change of circumstances is working with us.

26 Winyates Cases:Arrears Position, Feb’12 – Aug’13

How are we doing?: Rent arrears figures

What does it feel like to work in our ‘new’ system?

• “We know what the ‘right thing’ is to do”• “We know how customers feel about our service”• “We work as a team rather than in our silo’s”• “We have other agencies now working along side

us instead of against us”• “We know the right thing to do at an earlier stage”• “We’re not going soft we still use enforcement”

What it feels like for a customer

What we do now

Donna

• Lives with husband & 3 children

• Health problems.• Multiple debts.• Depression.

• Helps others but never asks for help.

• A pillar of the community.

Donna

Understand Me

Melanie

• 3yr old daughter• 18yr old son living with

her.• Evicted.• Drug addiction.• Multiple debts.• Depression and

extreme anxiety.• Long time to create

relationship with Melanie

Melanie

Understand Me

Susan

• Lives on her own.• Originally known as

perpetrator of ASB.• Financially abused.• Agoraphobia sufferer.• Left without utilities.• Health problems.• Sedatives.

Susan

Understand Me

And it’s not over yet ……

We’ve only just begun ……….

Any questions?