Major Systems upgrade to improve services for residents

West Northamptonshire Council is implementing an upgrade that will replace the Council's multiple previous Revenues and Benefits systems with a single, modern platform designed to simplify operations and improve the online experience for residents when interacting with the Council.

With the upcoming system update, residents will be able to view all their benefits, council tax, business rates, and landlord accounts in one convenient portal, no matter where they live. Business rates customers in Northampton will be able to access their accounts online and sign up for e-billing.

This system upgrade will also introduce Daventry residents to a new online housing benefit form, simplifying the application process like never before.

As the Council undergoes the upgrade, the council tax, business rates and housing benefit systems will be temporarily unavailable from Tuesday, 13 August through Thursday, 5 September. During the upgrade, residents will be unable to access the customer portal and online forms. Throughout this period residents will be able to make Council Tax and Business Rates payments as usual.

For residents with ongoing benefits claims and regular payments, these will continue unaffected. However, new claims and notifications of change submitted during closedown will be assessed after the upgrade is complete.

While Customer Service Agents will still be available to support residents, their access to information will be limited. Residents are encouraged to only contact us for urgent matters during this time.

Cllr Malcolm Longley, Cabinet Member for Finance at West Northamptonshire Council, said:"We aim to provide an efficient, user-friendly experience for our residents and businesses. The upgrade of our Revenue and Benefits Systems is an important step forward in modernising our systems to better serve our residents. This system upgrade is all about making your experience smoother, faster, and more convenient. We can’t wait for you to see the difference!

"We appreciate everyone's understanding and cooperation as we work towards improving our services for the benefit of the West Northamptonshire community."