GB2358720A

GB2358720A - Benefit information system

Info

Publication number: GB2358720A
Application number: GB0002052A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graham F Palmer; Peter Hall; Simon Wallace
Original assignee: ELLIST Ltd
Current assignee: ELLIST Ltd
Priority date: 2000-01-28
Filing date: 2000-01-28
Publication date: 2001-08-01
Also published as: GB0002052D0

Abstract

A benefit information system comprises a database 14 on a server 1 with connections to benefit providers 2, 3, and 4 and suppliers 8, 9 and 10. In use a schedule of payments made (22, Fig 2) is downloaded s2 from a provider 2 over a telecommunications link 5 and loaded into the database 14 using the service provider as an index key s3. The records are then made available to the respective service providers 8 via a second communications link 11 which may be the Internet. The supplier 8 access may be provided by one or more password secured web pages 18 running from a web server application 17 on the server 1. The server 1 may run an E-Mail application 15 and the data posted to the supplier mailbox s6. The data provided to the suppliers 8, 9 and 10 may be encrypted s5. A local client may be provided for the supplier systems 8, 9, and 10. The main use of the system is for passing information on payment of housing benefit direct to landlords in respect of the landlords tenant.

Description

1A 2358720 Benefit Information System This invention relates to the

provision of welfare benefit information using a clientserver system, particularly but not exclusively to providing landlords with information regarding housing benefit payments made in respect of their tenants.

Housing benefit is one of a number of social security benefits available in the United Kingdom to those tenants who need assistance with their housing costs. When a tenant claims housing benefit, the benefit provider, generally a local authority, often pays the benefit direct to the tenant's landlord as part- payment for the rent due to the landlord. In many cases, a private landlord will have a number of tenants to whom housing benefit is payable. The landlord may be a housing association or housing trust which can have hundreds or even thousands of tenants eligible for housing benefit. In most cases, the local authority sends such multi- tenant landlords a single cumulative cheque, or BACS (Bankers Automatic Clearing System) payment, in respect of all the tenants claiming housing benefit from that local authority. It also provides the landlord with a separate schedule breaking down this single payment by individual tenants, to allow the landlord to manage its tenants' accounts.

However, the present system is unsatisfactory. For example, the information provided is generally not sufficiently comprehensive to meet all of the landlord's information requirements. It is often inaccurate or incomplete and requires time consuming data entry onto the landlord's local computer systems. Since the schedule is usually a printed report sent by post, it is occasionally lost or misaddressed and may not always he promptly provided, so generating additional work for the landlord, and for the local authority, which has to deal with landlord enquiries chasing the information.

The development of the Internet has given local authorities the ability to provide information electronically, rather than in paper form. However, while this has the potential to overcome some of the above problems, it does not obviate others, including that of mis-addressing electronic mail. A particular problem is that many multi-tenant landlords offer housing across several local authorities, so receiving a separate payment and schedule from each. Frequently, these schedules are in different formats, with differing standards and arrival dates, making collation of the data difficult.

To address the above problems, the present invention provides a server for providing benefit information to providers of a service, the benefit information relating to benefit payments to the service providers from one or more benefit providers, the payments being in respect of benefit due from the benefit providers to the recipients of the service, comprising means configured to obtain a payment schedule from a benefit provider over a first telecommunications link, the payment schedule including information relating to benefit payments from the benefit provider to a plurality of service providers, means for separating the payment schedule into a plurality of database records, each record relating to the payments due to respective ones of the plurality of service providers and means for providing each of the plurality of service providers with access to their respective records over a second telecommunications link.

The server can be configured to obtain a payment schedule from each of a plurality of benefit providers, so as to act as a single source of benefit information to said plurality of service providers. In addition to the advantages inherent in having a single point of contact for obtaining and requesting information, there is the further advantage that data can be presented in a standard format, which can greatly enhance the ease with which the service providers can collate the data.

The server can further comprise means for combining payment information from each of the benefit providers to provide an integrated record for each service provider. This can provide the advantage that each service provider is presented with a single integrated schedule which includes claimant and payment information obtained from several different benefit providers.

The access providing means can be an e-mail server, which can advantageously provide a high level of security, preventing access to a service provider's data by unauthorised persons, including other service providers. Additional security can be attained by providing means for encrypting information from the server.

Advantageously, the server can additionally comprise a web server application supporting one or more web pages for access by the service providers. By providing information, inter alia, as to the availability of benefit information files from different local authorities on a single website, the service provider has the ability to mininiise connection times and reduce the overall time spent determining whether benefit information from different authorities is available.

According to the present invention, there is further provided a method of providing benefit information to providers of a service, the benefit information relating to benefit payments to the service providers from one or more benefit providers, the payments being in respect of benefit due from the benefit providers to the recipients of the service, the method comprising obtaining a payment schedule from a benefit provider over a first telecommunications link, the payment schedule including information relating to benefit payments from the benefit provider to a plurality of service providers, separating the payment schedule into a plurality of database records, each record relating to the payments due to respective ones of the plurality of service providers and providing each of the plurality of service providers with access to their respective records over a second telecommunications link.

According to the invention there is further provided a client-server computer system for providing benefit information to providers of a service, the benefit information relating to benefit payments to the service providers from one or more benefit providers, the payments being in respect of benefit due from the benefit providers to the recipients of the service, comprising a server configured to obtain a payment schedule from a benefit provider over a first telecommunications link, the payment schedule including information relating to benefit payments from the benefit provider to a plurality of service providers, further comprising means for separating the payment schedule into a plurality of database records, each record relating to the payments due to respective ones of the plurality of service providers and a plurality of clients operable by respective service providers for communicating with the server over a second telecommunications link to access the service providers' respective records.

Embodiments of the invention are now described by way of example with reference 5 to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a benefit information system according to the invention based on a client-server model, illustrating a plurality of local authority computer systems, a server for downloading data from the local authority systems and a plurality of landlord systems for receiving processed data from the server; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the interaction between one local authority system and the server shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a flow diagram illustrating the downloading and subsequent processing of data from one or more local authority systems to the server; and Figure 4 is a flow diagram illustrating the downloading of data from the server to a landlord system.

Referring to Figure 1, a benefit information system according to the invention comprises a server 1, for example a Windows NT TM server machine which is connectible to one or more local authority computer systems 2, 3, 4 via telecommunications links 5, 6, 7, for example ISDN lines. The connection can also be established over, for example, a virtual private network. The server 1 is also accessible to one or more client computer systems 8, 9, 10 operated by respective landlord organisations, for example through the Internet 11.

The server 1 includes dial-up software 12, a database server application 13, for example Microsoft AccesSTM for managing a database 14, and an email server application 15, for example Microsoft OutlookTm for communication with the client landlord systems. The e-mail server application 15 is isolated from the Internet 11 by a firewall 16, running on a dedicated computer. The server 1 also includes a web server application 17, for example the Microsoft IISTM server which is provided with Windows NT TM, for supporting password controlled web pages 18 accessible to the landlord systems, which provide facilities such as a bulletin board giving information about the availability of files and latest updates to the service, a technical page giving details of service changes, upgrades, availability and so on, a relevant news page giving information about events likely to affect landlords, and a 5 chat room to enable landlords to exchange comments and ideas.

A local authority typically produces housing benefit cheques, in respect of all of the tenants it is responsible for, on a weekly basis. The cheque production process is typically run on the same night every week. The local authority computer systems 2, 3, 4 may operate on different platforms, for example IBM/ICL mainframes, AS400, other UNIX platforms and networked PCs. Referring to Figure 2, the data required for each cheque run is contained in a database 19 within a local authority computer system 2. A data extraction application 20 specific to each type of platform is also resident within the system 2. When executed by the system processor 2 1, the data extraction application produces a standardised data file, referred to herein as the benefit schedule extract file 22, for example in ASCII delimited file format, which contains, in respect of every cLumant: (a) the relevant claimant's (tenant's) name and address; (b) the amount of benefit the claimant received as part of the cumulative payment; (c) the period of tenancy the payment covered; (d) the breakdown of benefit paid into the following categories: (i) full entitlement, (ii) any offset for recovery of overpayments and (iii) any adjustments made by the local authority; (e) the date the claim is due for renewal/review; (f) the 'paid-up-to' date; (g) if supported by the local authority, the claimant's renewal form as received by the authority; and (h) a code which is used by the local authority to identify the landlord. The data extraction application 20 also associates the name of the authority making the payment with the benefit schedule extract file 22.

The operation of the benefit information system is described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 4.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, a local authority housing benefit system 2 is configured to run the data extraction application 20 automatically, for example on a weekly basis after every local authority cheque run, to produce the benefit schedule extract file 22 (step sl). The extract file 22 is then downloaded to the server I using an FTP application over a dial-up connection 23 (step s2). This happens, for example, immediately following the cheque run for the local authority in question. The database server application 13 processes the information in the received benefit schedule extract file 22 to produce a number of individual benefit information files 24, each containing payment information in respect of one landlord only (step s3).

Each file is uniquely identified by, for example, the date of the cheque run, the identity of the local authority and the landlord code and is stored in the database as a new database record (step s4). Each file is then encrypted (step s5) and posted in the corresponding landlord's mailbox which is maintained by the e-mail server application 15, ready for downloading by the landlord (step s6).

Referring to Figures 1 and 4, when a landlord wishes to access data regarding his benefit cheque payments, the landlord system can access records pertaining to it using a dial-up connection over the Internet 11 and graphical user interface (GUI) software, installed on the landlord system when the landlord signs up to the benefit information system service. The landlord system operator 8, 9, 10 accesses the email server application 15 over the Internet 11 by logging on to the server 1 through the GUI, via the firewall 16 (step s7). The e- mail server 15 checks whether the correct password has been entered (step s8). If not, the server rejects the access request. After entry of the correct password, any benefit information files in the landlord's mailbox are automatically downloaded to the landlord's system (step s9). At the landlord's system, each file is decrypted and the data stored in the landlord's tenant housing benefit database (step s1O). The landlord can then log off from the e-mail server 15 and proceed with processing data as required (step s1l) and as described in more detail below. Alternatively, the landlord can make a request for repeat or historical data from the server 1 (step s12). This request is passed to the database server application 13, which extracts the requested information from the server database 14 (step s13). The requested data is again encrypted (step s14) and passed to the e-mail server application 15 from where it is e-mailed to the landlord system (step s15). At the landlord's system, the data is decrypted as before and stored in the landlord's housing database (step s1O), from where it can be retrieved for further processing and analysis (step s 11). By periodically logging on to the server 1, the landlord can retrieve, from a single source, a breakdown of tenant and payment information for all his tenants, regardless of which local authority is responsible for the payments.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, data received from a number of local authorities over a period of time, for example, a week, is combined at the server to provide an integrated record for download by the landlord. For example, when a benefit schedule extract file is downloaded from a local authority, the database server application 13 checks whether the server database 14 already contains information for a particular landlord, but relating to a previous cheque run by a different local authority. If it does not, then a file identified by landlord only is stored in the server database 14 as a new database record. However, if the database 14 already contains information for a particular landlord, then this record is updated to take account of the new information. This record can be requested by and downloaded to the landlord at any time. Therefore, when a landlord has tenants in different local authorities, the server according to this aspect of the invention provides an integrated database record for that landlord which comprises information about tenants and payments from different local authorities.

As an additional feature of the benefit information system, a crossmatching software application module is provided in the landlord's GUI software to automatically match the landlord's reference system to that of the local authority. The module compares the local authority data with the equivalent data in the landlord's own database, for example by postcode or surname. If a match is confirmed, the local authority and landlord records are automatically marked as matched. If no match is possible, the data is rejected and stored in a temporary file, on which manual matching can be carried out by the landlord examining each local authority claimant record and manually comparing it with the record in its own database.

Further additional features are also provided in the landlord's GUI software, including, for example, (i) analysis of claim history for each individual tenant, to allow easy identification of missing periods and changes in entitlement, (ii) analysis of benefit income on, for example, a week by week basis, (iii) the ability to maintain a 'paid-up-to' date record for each claimant, (iv) the ability to produce notification letters to tenants with a change of entitlement, which warns them of the residual rent still to be paid by them, and (v) the ability to maintain a history of all imported data, with a search feature providing rapid retrieval according to particular selection criteria.

While the above invention has been described in terms of local authorities, landlords and tenants, it is applicable to any system in which a benefit is payable by one party, referred to herein as the benefit provider, to a service provider, for example a landlord, which is providing a service to a service recipient, for example a tenant. As a further example, this system may apply to a nursing/ retirement home scenario in which benefit due to individuals resident at the home is paid directly to the proprietor of the home, which may own a number of such homes throughout the country.

Although the benefit information system has been described in terms of a server machine, it will be understood that the functionality of the server could be distributed over a number of physical machines, at a single location or distributed over a network.

Although the benefit information system has been described as having an email server application for communicating with the client landlord systems, it will be understood that other methods of presenting the data to the landlord systems are also possible, for example by making the data available on a web page, accessible by entering a user name and password. Alternative methods include using an FTP application over an ISDN line or establishing a Wide Area Network (WAN) to allow secure data communications.

Claims

1. A server for providing benefit information to providers of a service, the benefit information relating to benefit payments to the service providers from one or more benefit providers, the payments being in respect of benefit due from the benefit providers to the recipients of the service, comprising: means configured to obtain a payment schedule from a benefit provider over a first telecommunications link, the payment schedule including information relating to benefit payments from the benefit provider to a plurality of service providers, means for separating the payment schedule into a plurality of database records, each record relating to the payments due to respective ones of the plurality of service providers; and means for providing each of the plurality of service providers with access to their respective records over a second telecommunications link.

2. A server according to claim 1, configured to obtain a payment schedule from each of a plurality of benefit providers, so as to act as a single source of benefit information to said plurality of service providers.

3. A server according to claim 2, further comprising means for combining payment information from each of the benefit providers to provide an integrated record for each of the plurality of service providers.

4. A server according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the server includes a database server application.

5. A server according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the access providing means comprises an e-mail server application.

6. A server according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising means for encrypting information intended for a service provider.

7. A server according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second telecommunications link includes the Internet.

8. A server according to claim 7, further comprising a web server application 5 supporting one or more web pages for access by the service providers.

9. A server according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the service provider is a landlord and the service recipient is the landlord's tenant.

10. A client-server computer system for providing benefit information to providers of a service, the benefit information relating to benefit payments to the service providers from one or more benefit providers, the payments being in respect of benefit due from the benefit providers to the recipients of the service, comprising: 15 a server configured to obtain a payment schedule from a benefit provider over a first telecommunications link, the payment schedule including information relating to benefit payments from the benefit provider to a plurality of service providers, further comprising means for separating the payment schedule into a plurality of database records, each record relating to the payments due to respective ones of the 20 plurality of service providers; and a plurality of clients operable by respective service providers for communicating with the server over a second telecommunications link to access the service providers' respective records. 25

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein each client includes means for cross -referencing information originating from a benefit provider with information held by the service provider.

12. A method of providing benefit information to providers of a service, the 30 benefit information relating to benefit payments to the service providers from one or more benefit providers, the payments being in respect of benefit due from the benefit providers to the recipients of the service, the method comprising:

obtaining a payment schedule from a benefit provider over a first telecommunications link, the payment schedule including information relating to benefit payments from the benefit provider to a plurality of service providers, separating the payment schedule into a plurality of database records, each record relating to the payments due to respective ones of the plurality of service providers-, and providing each of the plurality of service providers with access to their respective records over a second telecommunications link.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of obtaining a payment schedule from each of a plurality of benefit providers and acting as a single source of benefit information for each of the plurality of service providers.

14. A method according to claim 13, comprising combining payment schedules from each of the benefit providers and providing each service provider with an integrated record containing information from each of the benefit providers.

15. A method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, further comprising the step of receiving a request from a service provider for access to stored information and, in response to the request, extracting the requested information from the database records.

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of encrypting the extracted information.

17. A server substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

18. A benefit information system substantially As hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

19. A method of providing benefit information substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.