Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 6
6
Rejected
Improve visa customer service, publishing performance scorecard for all applications and setting stretching targets.
Recommendation
The Home Office has not done enough to understand the experience of customers and improve the service they receive. The Home Office has achieved good performance in managing ‘straightforward’ applications – processing 94% of these within its service standards in 2023 and 2024 (970,000 cases). However, it takes much longer to process applications on which the applicant has not provided all of the information and further checks are needed to make a decision – which represented 18% of applications between the end of 2021 and 2024 (330,000 cases). The Home Office refers to these as ‘complex’ applications, it removes these from its public reporting and has no target processing time. Further, the Home Office does not have reliable data on the processing times for ‘complex’ cases and sponsor licence applications, which means it does not fully understand its performance. The Home Office’s target of 80% of applicants being satisfied with the application service illustrates a lack of ambition, suggesting it is content with one in five of its customers being dissatisfied. It is not doing enough to understand the customer perspective and make improvements to its service, including addressing concerns from applicants and sponsors about complicated guidance and poor customer support. Applicants and sponsors are also unable to track the progress of their applications, which is the cause of many complaints about the service. The Home Office’s planned transformation of its sponsorship system has also been delayed and it needs to address operational issues with the IT system used for processing visa applications. recommendation In its Treasury Minute response to this report, the Home Office should set out how it is improving its customer service. As part of this, it should: • develop and publish a balanced scorecard showing its performance in processing all applications (including ‘complex’ cases) and providing a good customer service; • set and publish more stretching targets for cu
Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with the recommendation, explaining that complex cases are excluded from published service standards and that it already publishes customer satisfaction scores and uses KPIs. It does note the recent launch of a visa processing times tool and is testing a new sponsorship system, but these are not framed as fulfilling the specific requests of the recommendation.
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. The Home Office is committed to continuous improvement in customer service standards. It monitors key indicators and is improving channels for customers to seek progress on their application. Complex cases are excluded from published Service Standards, but there are service level agreements for Skilled Worker visas, and these are published in the department’s transparency statistics. Reasons for complex cases, such as national security or criminal concerns, safeguarding issues, or the need to verify evidence through third parties, are outlined on GOV.UK (Visa processing times: applications inside the UK) and referenced in the NAO’s report. Home Office publish customer satisfaction scores and aim to maximise these. The KPIs benchmark performance to assess impact of continuous improvement activity. The department’s approach to service management embeds customer insight and customer experience to drive up overall scores as well as tackle pain points in the customer journey. The KPIs benchmark performance and assess the impact of continuous improvement activity. Home Office recently launched the visa processing times tool (Check your visa processing time - GOV.UK) where customers can self-serve to find out when they may expect a decision based on published service standards. Home Office remain committed to delivering an immigration system that is properly managed and controlled and is testing a partial version of a new sponsorship system. Before deciding to expand this pilot more widely, the department will evaluate its performance to ensure value to the taxpayer. Home Office continue to invest in maintaining and upgrading its existing sponsorship system. This supports its goal for a financially sustainable system which delivers for the UK public.