Launching her Benefit Uptake Programme, the Minister highlighted that almost 4,000 people are £50 better off as a result of the last financial year’s campaign.
Working through the Citizen's Advice Bureau (CAB), 25,000 customers were offered a full benefit assessment to identify additional benefits they should be claiming.
Margaret Ritchie said: “Almost 4,000 people are better off by £50 a week, a substantial amount that can make a difference to their lives. Our benefit uptake programme resulted in an additional £11.9million in benefits and arrears being paid out last year. Given today’s climate of higher costs of living, I would though like to encourage people to make sure they are not missing out on the millions of pounds that is rightfully theirs.”
During a visit to Strabane Citizen's Advice Bureau, Minister Ritchie met Mr and Mrs Cummins. Living in a rural area and suffering from physical health difficulties, Mr and Mrs Cummins took the opportunity of a benefit assessment through their local CAB. They never imagined any means tested assistance would be available to them as they both receive state retirement pension, Mrs Cummins had an occupational pension and they had savings. Once assessed, they discovered they had been missing out on state pension credit, a carer’s premium and rate rebate. They were also eligible for a blue badge for disabled parking and qualified for the disabled facilities grant for home improvements.
Notes to editors:
- The Department today published results of the Social Security Agency’s 2008/09 Benefit Uptake Programme showing that almost 4,000 people are better off by £50 a week. The programme provides people in Northern Ireland with additional support to claim benefits they might be missing out on.
- There are still a number of people who are missing out on support and this continues to be tackled through the advice and information available on the Department’s website,www.dsdni.gov.uk, publications and through staff across the network of Social Security Agency Offices.
- This targeted approach continues the Social Security Agency’s ongoing programme to ensure people are in receipt of all the benefits they are entitled to. Since 2005, an additional £27million of annual benefits and arrears has been paid to Social Security Agency customers.
- Further news media enquiries to DSD Press Office, tel 028 9082 9497 or out of office hours contact the EIS duty press officer on 07699 715 440.
