LGR: How to Scale Housing Services with Technology

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and rising housing demand are reshaping the operational landscape for housing teams across the UK. Whilst the full impact of LGR is yet to occur, smaller councils are already preparing for full organisational change, including mergers. 

More local authority housing teams are already using technology to strengthen how they work and plan for the future, and have seen much success in improving their income operations (see council results section). In this blog, we will delve into how organisations are scaling their services confidently through the power of technology and why innovation matters, now more so than ever. 

Contents

• How teams and systems are brought together through LGR
• Innovating during a time of change: how to make a quick impact
• How we've helped councils make a difference

How teams and systems are brought together through LGR  

Local government is experiencing a cultural reset; one that can help enable system-led change. From authorities we’ve spoken with, there is concern around what LGR means for arrears. Despite this arrears risk in the short-term, LGR does in fact provide the long-term opportunity to change how councils manage arrears for the better – providing more continuity in arrears management and opportunity to develop income recovery models. Another side effect of LGR is larger collection expectations and targets that require a “spend-more-to-save-more” mindset without growing resource to the same extent. Building on this idea, it is important to recognise that change is sometimes necessary to adapt, especially with LGR imminent. Teams can achieve their targets and avoid having their organisation stripped back with Section 114 by investing in a new solution that can help them save towards a more financially sustainable future.  

This is where systems and teams can be brought together. Whilst there may be short-term complexities of aligning teams, long-term this will pave the way for more resilient housing services. Using technology is not about radical change or transformation; it’s a sensible, incremental response that many housing teams are already exploring to get ahead of LGR early.  

Innovating during a time of change – how to make a quick impact:  

Teams are combining, roles are doing more, people are collecting debt they have not been collecting before: the desire for innovation is strong and commercially vital. To address the changes LGR brings, housing teams are required to accomplish more with less. But how can you make a larger, faster impact on your arrears and cases? The answer: technology. Higher demands are not a deficit but rather an opportunity to work differently and be more capable than ever. This is why housing teams are utilising technology to extend team capacity rather than replace expertise.  

Through our customisable income solutions, Voicescape can make a quick impact shortly after implementation to assist teams and make roles more manageable in the long-term. Having delved into the change timelines for LGR and legislative landscape changes in our LGR guide, we understand that the service expectations this brings are monumental. Housing teams that are underpinning their services with technology are demonstrating that times of change do not need to affect performance. Through the LGR process, there is potential for better financial resilience and a better overall tenant experience.  

How Caseload Manager reduces caseloads and increases both capacity and collections: 

Introducing our award-winning solution for handling your caseloads in arrears, Voicescape Caseload Manager - transforming arrears management into a proactive, intelligence-led process.