Source: PublicTechnology.net

http://www.publictechnology.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&si...

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Lib Dems attack Government reliance on call centres to provide essential services

The Liberal Democrats Leader Nick Clegg yesterday launched a campaign against ‘Faceless Britain’: the Government’s increasing reliance on remote call centres to provide essential services.

Research by the party shows that the increasing use of call centres has resulted in the cost being shunted to the user, especially the poorest who have no choice but to call from a mobile phone.

The research says:
> Nearly a quarter of people earning under £11,500 don’t have access to a landline, that amounts to over 2 million people

> Call centres for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) are costing mobile phone customers up to £400 million a year

> The cost of an average call to Jobcentre Plus Benefits (40-50 mins) on a mobile can be equal to half a week’s Jobseeker’s Allowance for someone aged over 25.

Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg yesterday met with mobile phone companies, Ofcom and the Citizens Advice Bureau to discuss how the Government could make certain helplines free, regardless of the type of phone used to make the call.

Commenting on the start of the ‘Faceless Britain’ campaign, Nick Clegg said:
“More and more services that used to offer face-to-face contact are being replaced by remote and inhuman call centres leaving consumers paying the price.

“We are witnessing the progression of an unaccountable state, creating increasingly remote services divorced from the people they are supposed to serve.

“So-called ‘freephone’ or local numbers are a prohibitively expensive option for the millions of callers who are reliant on mobile phones.

“Amid soaring tariffs and restrictive call packages, people who can’t afford a landline often find themselves being charged more than a week’s Jobseeker’s Allowance just to make a claim for the benefits owed to them.

“Forcing people to phone up distant call centres is leaving vulnerable people with an annual mobile phone bill of £400 million. I have met with mobile phone companies and the telecomms regulator as a first step in a campaign to make sure the state remains accountable to its citizens.”

The Liberal Democrats said: "One example where this is particularly damaging is in Government call centres. In recent years, DWP and other Government departments have made significant changes to the way that services are delivered. Many local offices have been closed, with customer contact now being handled over the phone."

"Although 0800 numbers are often advertised as free, this is rarely the case for mobile phones, making it often expensive and inconvenient for those reliant on mobile phones - for instance, low-income families using Pay As You Go mobiles as a necessary budgeting device. Indeed, most mobile phone operators do not make a distinction between 0800 and 0845 numbers, which are not included in any call packages or tariffs."

Liberal Democrat research on Government call centres has revealed:
• It can cost up to £36 just to make a claim for benefits. This is over half a week’s Jobseeker’s Allowance for someone over 25, and more than a week’s Jobseeker’s Allowance for a 16-17 year old.

• Department for Work and Pensions contact centres alone are costing callers up to £400 million a year in mobile phone bills.

Nick Clegg yesterday met with mobile phone companies, Ofcom, Citizens Advice Bureau and other interested organisations and individuals to discuss how to overcome the barriers that prevent certain Government ‘lifelines’, such as benefits and crisis loan helplines, becoming free at the point of access - regardless of the type of phone used to make contact.

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Source: South Wales Lib Dems

http://southwaleslibdems.org.uk/news/000468/assembly_member_backs_campaign_for_r...

Assembly Member backs campaign for reform government call centres
12.00.00am GMT Fri 7th Mar 2008

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Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Social Justice, Communities and Housing, Peter Black, has backed a Welsh Liberal Democrat campaign to humanise government by reforming the 'call centre culture' in Britain.

The 'Faceless Britain' campaign being run by the Liberal Democrats is based on research by the party, which shows that the increasing use of call centres has resulted in additional costs to the user, particularly the poorest who have no choice but to use a mobile phone. The research shows that a quarter of those earning less than £11,500 do not have access to a landline. The cost of a 40-50 minute call to Jobcentre Plus Benefits from a mobile can be equal to half a weeks Jobseekers Allowance for someone aged over 25.

"It is simply unfair for the government to allow the use of 0845 numbers which cost the users of government services £400 million a year." said Mr Black. "Many of the people who use these lines are the most vulnerable in our society and the most in need. How can the government justify forcing people to phone an expensive number in order to get the details of how to apply for a job, when the details may be free online if you go direct to the employer?"

"Mobile phone operators do not make a distinction between 0845 numbers and 0800 numbers either, meaning that phonecalls that could be free are not. If the government was to ensure that a normal 01 or 02 number was also available, mobile phone users may not have to pay extra call charges or can use 'free minutes.' There are simple steps that can be taken to help people, but the government is just not interested."
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Source: Mirror

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2008/06/16/scandal-of-400m-a-year-bill-...

Scandal of £400m-a-year bill for people on benefits using 0800 Government helplines
Exclusive by Bob Roberts 16/06/2008

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People on benefits are paying up to £400million-a-year calling Government "freephone" numbers, a report said yesterday.

Around 2.2 million - often the poorest in Britain - no longer have landlines and rely on mobiles to make calls.

But a study found this means they have to pay high mobile phone charges for calling Government 0800 and 0845 numbers if they need benefits or advice. A 90-minute call to claim JobSeeker's Allowance can cost £36 in phone charges for a benefit that is worth £35-aweek to teenagers.

The 11 million calls from mobiles to the Department of Work and Pensions cost users between £222million to £400million a year.

Liberal Democrat MP Danny Alexander, who helped draw up the report, said: "This cannot be allowed to continue.

"Certain Government 'lifelines', such as benefits and crisis loan helplines, should be free at the point of access. This should be regardless of the type of phone." And MP Julia Goldsworthy said it reflects "Faceless Britain" where more and more services are over the phone instead of face-to-face.

A senior Government source said they would look at the cost of calls but added: "We cannot get away from the fact mobile phone operators make call charges." Ministers plan to move Government phonelines to new "03" numbers which will charge the same as calling a landline.

£400 Million
Cost of calls from mobiles to Department of Work and Pensions

£3.4M
Amount made by the DVLA's 0870 number in the last financial year

£2.2M
people don't have landlines and forced to use mobile

£36
Cost of calls to claim £35 a week benefit
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Source: MoneySavingExpert.com

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/phones/2009/09/lib-dems-demand-free-calls-...

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Lib Dems demand free calls to customer service lines

Guy Anker
News Editor
9 September 2009

The Liberal Democrats are campaigning for a shake-up of customer service standards in Britain, including free calls to helplines.

In a series of proposals outlined this week, Lib Dem Shadow Business Secretary John Thurso also states it is vital consumers have the opportunity to speak to a human being, not just an automated service.

The plans also call on energy firms to publish full tariff information on bills and the immediate clearing of money transferred via the banking system.

The proposals include introducing a 'Universal Service Code' for organisations providing a service to the public.

This would be compulsory for public bodies, but voluntary for private firms, though it is hoped all major utility firms and banks will sign-up.

[…]

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Typical from a two bit political party that has no chance of becoming a government, it is so easy to criticize when in opposition or when you have no chance of your "proposals" being implemented by your own party, their only chance is for the governing party to pick it up, and there is not much chance of that!

***  Information revealed in a series of parliamentary questions show the DWP and its agencies have 11,764 non-geographic phone numbers, with the department receiving £1,463,738.45 from 0845 lines between October 1, 2005, and November 30, 2007.It has since changed the deal and no longer receives any income.  ***

Not getting income from the phone number isn't the same as "cutting the price that the caller pays".  Users would prefer the latter action.