Best Start Grant: service level agreement between The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Scottish Ministers

8. Service Delivery Standards

8.1 The Services will be delivered in accordance with the Service Delivery Standards set out below.

8.1.1 DWP will deal with customer enquiries relating to BSG Pregnancy and Baby Payment, by signposting customers to Social Security Scotland as detailed in Annexes 1 to 3.

8.1.2 DWP and Social Security Scotland Agent to Agent enquires will follow the process as detailed in Annex 2. Contact will be made through secure e-mail inbox.

8.1.3 Social Security Scotland will contact DWP for BSG Pregnancy and Baby Payment enquiries detailed in Annex 4. Contact will be made through secure e-mail Inbox, to:

8.1.3.1 Confirm if the interest relates to a Sure Start Maternity Grant (SSMG) claim or award and the status of the award when Social Fund interest is identified in [Redacted], detailed in Annex 4.

8.1.3.2 Confirm the award status when clerical cases are identified in the[Redacted], detailed in Annex 5.

Inboxes for each party are as follows:

8.1.4 Share appointee information when there is a potential impact on a shared client as detailed in Annexes 6 to 9.

Inboxes for each party are as follows:

8.1.5 The turnaround time for responding to secure e-mail enquiries relating to the processes, as detailed in Annexes 1 to 10, will be as soon as reasonably practical and within 5 working days. For any enquiries, which are complex and are off-system the turnaround time will be 10 working days.

8.1.6 The agent-to-agent e-mail service will be available from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm Monday to Friday excluding Public and Privilege Holidays.

8.1.7 Misdirected post (including clerical claims) received in error will be returned to sender within 24 hours or as soon as reasonably practicable.

8.1.8 Where a request for a [Redacted] is identified, Scottish Ministers and DWP will follow the process to provide each other with relevant information, as detailed in Annex 10.

Inboxes for each party are as follows:

8.1.9 Scottish Ministers and DWP will confirm with either party the control measures associated with [Redacted], as detailed in Annex 11 and Annex 12.

Inboxes for each party are as follows:

8.1.10 The turnaround time for responding to dedicated email enquiries relating to [Redacted] will be 2 working days, as detailed in Annexes 11 and 12

8.1.11 [Redacted].

8.2 Escalation will be between SPoCs at team management level, between Social Security Scotland and DWP operational teams in appropriate cases including, but not limited to:

8.2.1 Where Service Delivery Standards have not been met.

8.2.2 Where there are cases when the normal Service Delivery Standards would have an unacceptable impact on the client.

8.2.3 When Social Security Scotland business continuity plans are invoked which would impact a higher number than anticipated enquiries to DWP. SPoCs for each party are as follows: