Risked Based Verification Automated Risk Scoring contract for New Claims and Change in Circumstances

London Borough of Lambeth (LBL) Benefit Service is seeking a Service Provider with the appropriate product range, experience, and competitive pricing to provide automated Risk Based Verification for Housing Benefit & Council Tax Support New Claim & Change in Circumstance forms submitted online.

Lambeth Benefits Service have been using automated risk scoring with our online electronic New Claim (E-claim) and Change in Circumstances (E-CIC) forms since 2009 and 2014, respectively. Each E-claim and E-CIC form is automatically risk scored at the point of submission. This involves RBV software reviewing the data provided in submitted forms to determine risk factors and providing an appropriate risk score (either low, medium, or high risk). This then determines the level of verification required. Evidence requirements for low risk claims/changes are reduced, decreasing the time to process them. Greater activity is, therefore, targeted toward checking cases deemed to be at higher risk of involving fraud and/or error.

Currently, for New Claims only, we utilise a separate software solution that enables us to capture and validate applicant's identities by checking their name, date of birth and address provided against the identity verification supplier's data sources, to establish if their identity exists. This further reduces the need for applicants to provide documentary evidence and helps to prevent and detect fraud. The risk score has no bearing on the identity check, however. Therefore, if the New Claim is determined as high risk, it does not mean that it will fail the identity check. A New Claim could also be high risk but still pass the ID checks. Conversely, if a claim is low risk, the customer could still fail the ID check.

In Lambeth, approximately 7,000 Housing Benefit & Council Tax Support E-claims and 2500 E-CIC forms are risk scored annually. However, due to process changes due to occur in 2024/25, the figure for E-CICs will increase substantially.

The total contract duration is 2+1+1 years. Lambeth Benefit Service hope to award this new contract from 1st April 2024.

The closing Date for this RFQ is 16/02/2024 at 5pm.

You will find all the relevant information attached to this Notice.