Title

Lack of knowledge is one reason up to £100m in council tax and housing benefit remains unclaimed each year in Wales. And, in a bid to increase take up, the Welsh Assembly Government has announced a funding package for Welsh councils of £3m over three years, to help them widen the focus of their take-up campaigns to pensioners and young families. Research has revealed the focus to get take up increased has previously been on tenants but, in fact, three-quarters of people who do not claim their council tax entitlement are owner-occupiers. Local government minister, Dr Brian Gibbons, said maximising incomes by ensuring full take up of benefits was an ‘important strand' in the assembly's efforts to meet its One Wales commitment to tackle child and pensioner poverty. ‘I am making this money available to local authorities for the next three years to increase the good work they already do in encouraging the take up of these benefits,' he explained. ‘We have already made it clear that changes need to be made to the benefits system so there is a more automatic entitlement to benefit, and for an increase in the earnings and savings thresholds. ‘Progress has already been made, and we welcome the announcement from the Department for Work and Pensions that from October this year, pension credit claimants will automatically have their details passed on to the local authority for assessment of eligibility to council tax benefit and housing benefit, without having to submit a signed claim form themselves.' According to the Lyons report, at least £1.8bn in council tax and housing benefit remains unclaimed each year across the entire country.

Title

FINANCE

£100m goes begging as claimants miss out

SUBSCRIBE TO CONTINUE READING