Somebody answer the phone

[stackpole]

Lib Dem work and pensions spokesman David Laws said the government had to simplify the welfare system because the complexity was generating the "huge call volumes".

Indeed. Has anyone here seen the film Brazil?

[John Galt]

Government helplines 'in chaos'

Lib Dems say the number of missed calls is unacceptable
People phoning government call centres face "chaos", with more than a third of calls not being answered, the Liberal Democrats have said.
Figures obtained by the party show that since 2003 over 119m calls - or 36.6% of those made - were abandoned, went unrecorded or met with an engaged tone.

Of the 10 departments included in the figures, the Department for Work and Pensions missed most calls - 62m.

It says it has improved in the past six months with only 7.7% of calls missed.

However, Lib Dem work and pensions spokesman David Laws said the public was facing "enormous frustration" and "chaos".

'Waste of time'

The hotline with the worst record was that for Attendance Allowance/Disability Living Allowance, with 79% of calls abandoned, met with an engaged tone or lost in the system;

Mr Laws said: "The government's direct line to the public is failing.

"Over 119 million phone calls from the public have been missed since 2003 - a colossal waste of people's time and an enormous frustration.

"Over one in three people calling government helplines are receiving engaged tones or abandoning calls when they should be able to speak to an adviser."

He said the government had to get its helplines working and had to simplify the welfare system because the complexity was generating the "huge call volumes".

Mr Laws said the actual number of missed calls was higher than 119 million, as not all departments had provided information.


Sack the lot of them that's what I say - all those civil servants and no-one has time to pick up the phone. Dear dear dear.