Automate and collaborate in Revenues & Benefits: How we work smarter, together

In 2021, I found myself working in the world of Revenues and Benefits. Before then I didn’t give much thought to what was involved in Council Tax itself. Like many people, I just accepted it as a part of adult life – you get a bill once a year, and if you're like me, you set up a Direct Debit and forget about it.

What struck me immediately working within the sector was the scale and complexity of the work that goes into managing Council Tax. Behind all the bills that drop through a letterbox, there are countless processes, checks, and decisions being made. From, exemptions and discounts, to enforcement and collections, it's a world that most residents never see and would probably never think about.

One thing became very clear, very quickly; the volume of work is immense. And like many public services, resources are stretched. Teams are often working under significant pressure, balancing statutory duties with the need to support vulnerable residents and respond to an ever-changing landscape.

It’s not plain sailing

Working within this sector has given me a real appreciation for what goes on behind the scenes. It's not just about collecting money. It's about fairness, accountability, and ensuring that vital services can continue to operate in our communities. Traditionally the Revenues and Benefits sector has been operating with the same approach for years, often constrained by legacy software systems, limited resources, and manual processes that haven’t kept pace with the demands of modern public service delivery. It's a sector under pressure; from resource challenges, to growing levels of resident debt, and more people than ever caught in a difficult debt cycle. To make matters worse, old debt becomes more costly and harder to collect, adding further strain on local authorities.

As experienced officers leave the workforce, the lack of capacity and resources to invest in training their successors risks creating a gap in skills and continuity for the next generation.

Being a part of the solution

Joining Govtech was a no-brainer for me. What excited me was the opportunity to be part of a solution – providing much-needed automation to a sector that desperately needs it. The number of manual tasks and checks that councils still manage daily is staggering. Govtech steps in to help automate 80% – 90% of that workload, giving councils back the time and capacity they urgently need.

With 57 customers across the UK, I have the privilege of managing a territory that stretches from Worcestershire across Wales and into Scotland. It’s always a pleasure to visit our existing customers, hear their positive feedback, and see first-hand the impact our services are having. These conversations are more than just updates, they’re stories of transformation, resilience, and efficiency. And those stories matter. They’re exactly what their peers and other councils want to hear – that there are solutions available to improve their processes and better serve their communities. And I’m fortunate to be able to share those success stories!

Being part of that journey – from listening to the challenges, to delivering tangible results – makes the work incredibly rewarding. There’s nothing better than seeing the difference we’re making!!!

A close-knit community

I was first introduced to the IRRV at the beginning of my career in Revs and Bens, and it certainly has had a profound positive impact on my roles within the sector. The Institute has provided an outstanding platform for enhancing my knowledge and understanding of the industry, allowing me to gain valuable insights into core processes and best practices.

Beyond the informative content, attending conferences and events has given me the opportunities to network with experienced professionals within the sector and allowed me to build meaningful connections and stay engaged with the wider community.

By automating routine tasks, teams gain valuable time to invest in training and developing the team and apprentices – nurturing the next generation of talent and creating future ‘lifers’ within the sector.

The Annual Conferences is our favourite time of year, not just for the coffee, free gifts and a few drinks, but because it gives us the chance to meet up with our Govtech community on a social level. It’s always a pleasure to catch up. We genuinely encourage any local authority exploring automation to have open conversations with our customers. There’s no better way to understand the real-world impact our services have had than straight from those who’ve been there, done that, and automated it!

Karen and Graeme with Salford City Council and Cheshire East Council

Karen and Keith with Edinburgh City Council

The Govtech Team

Karen and Keith at LACEF

Karen with Dumfries & Galloway Council

Karen and Graeme with Tameside Council

The IRRV Lancashire and Cheshire Association

Karen with Coventry City Council

Karen and Graeme with Cheshire East Council

Partnering with the IRRV 

Govtech is delighted to sponsor and support the regional IRRV Associations and, of course, the legendary IRRV Golf Competitions. Huge kudos to the fantastic committee members who keep these groups running like clockwork – as not only are they professional and tightly knit, but they somehow manage to make it all feel like one big family reunion. I’ve always felt incredibly welcomed at the meetings and events, and I have to say… Mr. Mellor never misses an opportunity to dust off his dancing shoes for the dinner dances.

This year marks our very first as sponsors of the IRRV Forums and provides a great opportunity to stay in the loop with the ever-evolving world of Revenues and Benefits. Over the last couple of weeks I have enjoyed listening to David Airey, (his presentation wasn’t just informative, but he kept the audience engaged as well as entertained).  In addition, it was interesting to hear the insightful updates from CIVEA and the Enforcement Conduct Board.

A supportive industry

For the past few years, I've had the pleasure of attending the LACEF annual conference, and it never disappoints. It’s always well attended, with genuinely interesting topics around empathetic approaches to revenue collection to the importance of taking a holistic view of residents in debt recovery. The focus is clearly on improving and modernising local authority debt recovery and enforcement practices, and it shows. The speakers are consistently engaging, the sessions are relevant and thought-provoking, and there’s always something new to take away. To top it this year I won my first game of pool in years!!!

I’d like to take my hat off to our friends at TelSolutions, Excel, and Ascendant for putting on such fabulous events across the UK – from Leeds to Chelsea, Wales to Brighton, they’ve really covered some ground! These events do a brilliant job of keeping the sector up to speed with fresh ideas, new technologies, and everything in-between. Their team works incredibly hard behind the scenes to make sure the conference days run like a well-oiled machine, and it really shows.

Finally, to those in the public eye who are quick to criticise the sector’s approach to recovery, I’d encourage them to take a closer look. Do a bit more research, attend some of these events, and see first-hand the incredible work local authorities are doing. Across the country, teams are working tirelessly to support vulnerable residents, often while stretched thin and under-resourced. The sector is constantly exploring new, more compassionate approaches, and there’s a lot to be proud of – it deserves a fairer, more informed spotlight.