Independent Review Service  for the Social Fund   Publication Scheme    Homepage   Your Rights   and the Law     Publication Scheme What is the IRS Publication Scheme? Is there a charge? What information is available? How to request hard copies What is the IRS Publication scheme? The aim of the IRS publication scheme is to make as much information as possible about the IRS and its work easily available to the public. The IRS Publication Scheme sets out: classes of information we publish or intend to publish the way in which each class of information is or will be published and whether information is free of charge or not. Is there a charge? Most requests for information available under the IRS Publication scheme will be free of charge. For example, information on this IRS web site is available free of charge, although the user would have to meet any internet service charges, printing costs and the like. A single print-out of information as it appears on this web site and hard copies of documents available from the IRS that have not appeared on this web site will be provided free of charge. However, requests for multiple print-outs of the same information, or requests for archived copies of documents no longer available on the web site, may attract a charge to cover costs such as staff time, photocopying and postage. In such cases we would let you know of the charge at the time of your request and any charge would be payable in advance. Information available from other organisations will be subject to the charging policies of those organisations, which may change from time to time. What information is available? In deciding what to include in the scheme we have considered the public interest and have taken account of the requests for information that we have received in the past. Most of the information published by the IRS is available on this IRS web site. However, some is available only in hard copy from the IRS. Other information can only be accessed via other organisations and in these cases relevant contact details are supplied. Description How the information is available The IRS - The Organisation Document setting out a framework for the relationship between the IRS and the Department for Work and Pensions Hard copy only from the Publication Scheme Coordinator A description of the business purpose, values and objectives of the IRS Website, or in hard copy upon request from the Publication Scheme Coordinator. Please click here to be taken to the Business Purpose, Values and Objectives page in the About Us section of the website A description of the organisational structure of the IRS Website, or in hard copy upon request from the Publication Scheme Coordinator Please click here to be taken to the Organisational Structure page in the About Us section of the website Details of the different ways the IRS can be contacted Please click here to be taken to the Contact Us section of the website IRS Plans and Performance The current IRS Corporate Plan and the previous one. The IRS Corporate Plan sets out the IRS business purpose, strategic objectives, business values, three-year work programme and customer service targets. Website, or in hard copy upon request from the Publication Scheme Coordinator Please click here to be taken to the Corporate Plan page in the About Us section of the website The two most recent IRS Annual Reports Website, or in hard copy upon request from the Publication Scheme CoordinatorBound copies must be bought from Corporate document services and there is a charge for this. Please click here to be taken to the Annual Report page in the Publications and Leaflets section of the website An account of IRS performance against its customer service targets and standards at the 6-month and the 12-month stages for the current year and the previous year Website, or in hard copy upon request from the Publication Scheme Coordinator. Please click here to be taken to the Service Standards page in the About Us section of the website Frequently Asked Questions about Social Fund Payments An outline of how to apply for and the rules regarding community care grants Website, or in hard copy upon request from the Publication Scheme Coordinator. Please click here to be taken to the Community Care Grant page in the FAQ section of the website An outline of how to apply for and the rules regarding budgeting loans Website, or in hard copy upon request from the Publication Scheme Coordinator. Please click here to be taken to the Budgeting Loan page in the FAQ section of the website An outline of how to apply for and the rules regarding crisis loans Website, or in hard copy upon request from the Publication Scheme Coordinator. Please click here to be taken to the Crisis Loan page in the FAQ section of the website Information about IRS Services A description of the right to apply for an independent review, time limits for applying and how the review will be carried out Website, or in hard copy upon request from the Publication Scheme Coordinator. Please click here to be taken to the IRS Review section of the website Details of who to contact if you have an enquiry or complaint about an Inspector's decision or the service you have received and a description of the service you can expect from the Customer Services Team. Website, or in hard copy upon request from the Publication Scheme Coordinator. Please click here to be taken to the Complaints section of the website. Details about the workshops and self-instruction packages provided by the Independent Review Service Website, or in hard copy upon request from the Publication Scheme Coordinator. Please click here to be taken to the Training and Support section of the website IRS Publications Current leaflets, booklets and posters about the IRS review process and services provided by the IRS Website, or in hard copy upon request from the Publication Scheme Coordinator. Please click here to be taken to the Leaflets and Booklets page in the Publications and Leaflets section of the website Current Social Fund Commissioner's Advice to Inspectors and related Support Notes Website, or in hard copy upon request from the Publication Scheme Coordinator. Please click here to be taken to the Commissioner's Advice to Inspectors page in the Publications and Leaflets section of the website IRS Journals since 1996, featuring articles on a wide range of subjects relevant to the social fund and the review process Website, or in hard copy upon request from the Publication Scheme Coordinator. Please click here to be taken to the Journals and Digest of Decisions page in the Publications and Leaflets section of the website IRS Digests of Decisions since 1996, featuring case studies illustrating particular aspects of social fund law and practice Website, or in hard copy upon request from the Publication Scheme Coordinator. Please click here to be taken to the Journals and Digest of Decisions page in the Publications and Leaflets section of the website IRS Self-Instruction Packages for social fund practitioners Website, or in hard copy upon request from the Publication Scheme Coordinator. Please click here to be taken to the Self Instruction Packages page in the Publications and Leaflets section of the website Public Consultations Quarterly and Annual Customer Survey Findings for the current year In hard copy upon request from the Publication Scheme Coordinator External Contacts A selection of links to other organisations which can provide more information regarding benefits Website, or in hard copy upon request from the Publication Scheme Coordinator. Please click here to be taken to the External Contacts and Links section of the website Legislation and Related Material The Social Security Act 1998, the Social Security Administration Act 1992 and the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 Hard copies are available form OPSI (telephone number 01603 621000). Or, click here for the legislation in PDF format on the Office of Public Information website The Social Fund (Applications and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008 No. 2265). The Social Fund (Application for Review) Regulations 1988 (S.I. 1988 No. 34). The Social Fund (Recovery by Deductions from Benefits) Regulations 1988 (S.I. 1988 No. 35). Hard copies are available form OPSI (telephone number 01603 621000). Or, click here for the Statutory Instruments in PDF format on the Office of Public Information website The Social Fund Guide, containing the Secretary of State's directions and guidance Please click here to be taken to the Social Fund Guide on the DWP website Personnel Current job vacancies that have been advertised externally Website, or in hard copy upon request from the Publication Scheme Coordinator. Please click here to be taken to the IRS Job Vacancies page in the About Us section of the website Document describing the policy on the use of the internet and e-mail by IRS staff. Hard copy only from the Publication scheme coordinator Document describing the IRS policy on flexible working hours. Hard copy only from the Publication scheme coordinator Document describing the IRS procedures for addressing personal grievances. Hard copy only from the Publication scheme coordinator Document describing the IRS policy on home working. Hard copy only from the Publication scheme coordinator Document describing the IRS policy on equal opportunities and diversity. Hard copy only from the Publication scheme coordinator Document describing the IRS policy on working part time and on working for part of the year. Hard copy only from the Publication scheme coordinator Document describing the IRS employee relations policy. Hard copy only from the Publication scheme coordinator Document describing the IRS Race Equality Scheme made under the Race Relations Act 1976 (as amended) and the current and previous annual published reports on progress under the scheme. Website, or in hard copy upon request from the Publication Scheme Coordinator. Please click here to be taken to the IRS Race Equality Scheme page in the Your Rights and the Law section of the website Procurement Document describing IRS policy relating to suppliers. Hard copy only from the Publication scheme coordinator IRS Quarterly Unit Cost and Expenditure Please click here to be taken to the IRS Quarterly Unit Cost and Expenditure page   Please note the scheme has been produced in accordance with section 19 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and has been approved by the Information Commissioner. Please also note that in some instances parts of a document included within the Publication Scheme may be blanked out where that document contains exempt information under the Act. This may happen where the information is confidential, or where disclosure of the information might threaten the health or safety of staff. Where parts of a document have been blanked out an explanation will be provided at the relevant place in the document. Requests for a hard copy of the Publication Scheme itself or copies of information available under the scheme should be directed to Richard Plant, the Publication Scheme Coordinator. Please e-mail him at rpp@irs-review.org.uk, or alternatively phone him on 0121 606 2222 or write to him at: Independent Review Service 4th Floor Centre City Podium 5 Hill Street Birmingham. B5 4UB Please also let us know if you have any suggestions for adding to or otherwise improving the scheme. Please note that we have a text phone 0800 096 1929, are able to take calls in languages other than English, using Language Line; can provide Braille services and our most important leaflets can be translated upon request. If you have any complaints about the operation of the scheme, please contact the Publication Scheme Coordinator. We aim to investigate and respond to complaints within 20 days. If ,after the investigation of a complaint, you remain dissatisfied, then you may ask for an internal review. We aim to conduct internal reviews and to issue a response within 20 days. If, after the internal review of a complaint, you are still dissatisfied, you may refer your complaint to the Information Commissioner: Information Commissioner Wycliffe House Water Lane Wilmslow Cheshire. SK9 5AF. Telephone: 01625 545 745 Fax: 01625 524 510 Copyright The IRS retains copyright in all the material in this scheme except where individual material shows otherwise, for example, where there is Crown Copyright. You can copy or distribute IRS copyright material for personal or in-house use without our permission, subject to the following conditions: it is copied accurately and is not used in a misleading context; and where the material is being copied for others, the copyright status of the material is acknowledged; and the copying is not for financial reward. All other rights are reserved. Information about use of Crown Copyright material can be obtained from the OPSI web site at www.opsi.gov.uk Please see our IRS Privacy Policy page for details on how we collect your information in connection with the Inspector's Review and how this information is used.