Case study

Department for Work and Pensions - Disability and Carers Service Carer's Allowance Unit

A better service for the UK's neediest citizens

The Carer’s Allowance Unit (CAU) of the Disability and Carers Service (DCS), an agency of the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), had to increase its service capacity and maintain quality to cope with a 25% reduction in staff. It saw the introduction of ‘Lean’ management as a proven route to success.

It also aimed to provide an improved, more consistent service for CAU’s customers, who care for some of the country’s most disabled people. Historically, and unacceptably, the more complex cases waited longest for processing.

CAU turned to PA with its wide experience of Lean and cultural change to help meet its objectives. Halfway through the project, case clearances are 26% up using Lean teams and CAU staff are creating their own continuous improvement culture. Savings will be £3.5 million in salary costs alone.

DCS had to achieve the headcount reduction by March 2008. The speed of the Lean implementation was critical in enabling CAU to become more efficient and effective and meet this deadline.

PA’s crucial contributions included:

• helping DCS management answer the question ‘why Lean, and why now?’
• rapidly equipping CAU’s own staff to implement Lean
• tailoring an approach for the public sector – aligning culture and behaviour with appropriate Lean practices.