Offering added resilience

East Renfrewshire Council went live with NEC Revenues & Benefits processing systems in 2020, and we also provide them with a flexible processing service. This sees us deliver remote support to process applications for discounts, exemptions and benefits.

Alison Ballingall is the council’s Senior Revenues Manager:

“NEC has been helping us with housing benefit and council tax reduction claims since 2021. It’s been invaluable for covering vacancies, holidays or demand peaks, and we very much see them as an extension of our team. It gave us confidence in their ability to provide different kinds of support.”

Refreshing staff training

Having gone live with NEC Revenues & Benefits during the pandemic, the council had received a lot of training and support remotely. With more change ahead and a number of vacancies, the council wanted to make sure everyone was completing tasks in the most efficient way.

We devised a five-day training programme focused on council tax that was delivered over three weeks in March 2025 to make sure staff weren’t overwhelmed.

Alison explains the benefits of the format:

“Both the structure and delivery of the training was excellent. It avoided long presentations and instead was broken down into distinct tasks which the team would practice and then check with the trainer.”

Fiona Caldwell is the council’s Operations and Systems Manager:

“The expertise of the trainer made a real difference. It gave the team the confidence to work differently, which in turn has meant we can process claims quicker. As new staff members join, the existing team is far better placed to support them too.”

Providing a team leader

From August 2024 to January 2025, we also provided a member of staff to act as a Benefits team leader. As the council’s own team work in a hybrid pattern and were used to working alongside our NEC colleagues, this role was delivered remotely and the process was seamless from end to end.

“NEC provided someone who had real expertise in the sector and was also skilled at managing individuals,” said Alison. “It provided much-needed continuity for the team and peace of mind for us too.”