Thursday 1 March 2012

More help with benefit claims

PEOPLE in south Wiltshire who need specialist benefits guidance will soon be able to get more help and advice.

New advisers are to be appointed by Wiltshire Citizens Advice (WCA) after it was awarded a £38,000 grant by Wiltshire Council through the Action for Wiltshire partnership.

The scheme sees organisations working together with the council to tackle the effects of the recession in the county, to prepare for the economic recovery, and to build a sustainable future for the county.

In the past Action for Wiltshire has supported a benefit take up campaign, with two full time caseworkers. This project successfully helped people claim £897,000 in unclaimed benefits.

WCA saw a 21 percent increase in the number of people seeking advice about benefits and by December 10, 2011 advice had been given on 17,368 benefit issues compared with 19,957 issues for the whole of the previous financial year.

The caseworkers will work across south Wiltshire, and will advise a minimum of five clients a week, meaning about 260 people should benefit from the project.

Article taken from Salisbury Journal

No comments:

Post a Comment