Scandal of unclaimed benefits (Eleanor Burnham )

Cymraeg
English

Eleanor Burnham <info@eburnham.org.uk>

Scandal of unclaimed benefits

August 7, 2009 2:08 PM

Up to £10.5 billion worth of benefits went unclaimed last year and it appears that one in four people have not applied for payments to which they are entitled. Whilst, as many as 1.7 million pensioners missed out on £2.9 billion of Pension Credit , 3 million people failed to claim help with council tax benefit and £2.47 billion has been left unclaimed in entitlement to housing benefit.

Commenting on the scandal of unclaimed benefits Eleanor Burnham , Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for North Wales said:

"There is clearly something wrong with the delivery of information when the Labour Government spends so much money on advertising campaigns, publicity material and helplines but cannot get its message across. Unfortunately, it appears that Labour has failed to invest in the most important and straight forward service of all, face to face contact in local Job Centres.

" Job Centre Plus services have been run down by the Labour Government over the past few years and now in difficult economic times, with increased numbers of claimants, staff have less time to deal with the individual needs of each person.

"The process of claiming benefits has become too complicated. Many constituents visiting Job Centres, perhaps for the first time in their working lives, have told me it is frustrating to be referred to a telephone helpline when they would like the opportunity to sit down and discuss their individual circumstances in depth. Some have even given up and foregone the opportunity to claim their entitlements.

Eleanor continued:

"This is not good enough - the government needs to ensure each Job Centre has a team of advisors available to answer questions face to face and ensure everyone is advised on their entitlements and not referred to an anonymous voice at the end of the phone.

" To much pressure is being placed on voluntary sector or independent advice agencies to provide help because the Labour Government cannot get its priorities right by managing its own service properly .