In a report to Parliament today, head of the NAO Sir John Bourn recognised that the outsourcing of the Department of Social Security’s medical assessment service had reduced costs and speeded up the turnaround of work. But the standard of medical assessments and the quality of service to benefit customers need to improve. The service […]
Following reforms to decision-making and the appeal process in social security benefits, introduced in 1999 by the Department for Work and Pensions, the number of appeals against decisions has fallen overall by around 15 per cent and waiting times for appeal hearings have been cut. Since the reforms, decision-making performance for some benefits, but not […]
Within the programme of improvement already started by HMRC, the NAO helped ensure that, in January 2013, HMRC committed to improving customer service.
This NAO impacts case study represents one example where there has been some beneficial change, whether financial or non-financial, resulting from our involvement.
This page is part of our successful commissioning toolkit. Whether making grants or buying services, an effective financial relationship between a public body and a third sector organisation requires careful thought. Some of the things to think about are not financial. So the guidance also embraces related processes such as identifying needs and setting outcomes (which […]
The new system of regulating financial services will need to demonstrate in future that the cost of two regulators achieves value for money for customers.
We found that the 2007-2011 Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Board’s poor financial management and procurement of an unaffordable PFI scheme had left the Trust in a critical financial position.
This NAO impacts case study represents one example where there has been some beneficial change, whether financial or non-financial, resulting from our involvement.
This investigation looks at the British Business Bank’s approval of Greensill Capital’s access to government business support schemes.
This page is part of our successful commissioning toolkit. Purpose of evaluation It is important to evaluate policies and programmes. It allows us to learn the lessons from one generation of public service and build them into improvements in the next. [Note] Approaches to evaluation There is a range of approaches to evaluation. In general, a public […]
We recommended that the Department for Communities and Local Government improve its evaluation of the impact of funding changes on local authorities’ financial sustainability.
This NAO impacts case study represents one example where there has been some beneficial change, whether financial or non-financial, resulting from our involvement.
This investigation examines Greensill Capital’s involvement in the provision of two schemes to the NHS.
BIS will not be well-placed to secure value for money on student loan repayments until it has a more robust strategy to improve collection performance.
Our report provides assurance to Parliament over the regularity and propriety of the high-value transactions generated by the 4G auction process.
In 2011-12 HMRC maintained its performance while reducing staff and spending but it is too early to tell what the long-term impact of cost reduction will be.
The use of confiscation orders to deny criminals the proceeds of their crimes is not proving to be value for money.
The provision of adequate adult social care poses a significant public service challenge. Demand for care is rising while public spending is falling.
This report makes early observations on the progress and risks in upgrading the A303 between Amesbury and Berwick Down.
This report examines the implementation of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.
HMRC and the Treasury do not know if incentives designed to increase charitable giving, at a cost to the taxpayer of £940 million in 2012-13, have resulted in more income for charities.
In its sale of the 4G radio spectrum the Office of Communications (Ofcom) achieved its objective of maintaining a competitive market with a number of competing providers.