Blackpool Council is driving forward a novel initiative to increase benefit take-up – courtesy of a ‘Benefits Bus’! To give more residents more support in claiming allowances they are entitled to – notably Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit – a mobile advice centre will soon be at a community near you soon. Blackpool Council is one of 13 local authorities* that have teamed up to purchase a ‘Benefit Bus’, which is then shared across the region for weeks at a time.
The Benefit Bus will be joining us for Blackpool's Advice Week on Monday 15th & Tuesday 16th March 2010 between 10 am and 4 pm at St John's Business & Community Centre, St John's Church, Church Street, Blackpool - opposite the Winter Gardens
The Benefits Bus will also be in Blackpool and Fylde on the dates listed below. Locations to follow shortly.
It will be manned by staff from the Benefits Service and from the Customer First Office, stopping off at various locations.
These include:
Monday 14th June to Friday 18th June
Monday 17th September to Friday 1st October
Monday 15th November to Friday 19th November
Monday 21st February to Friday 25th February 2011
Locations to follow shortly
The bus will be accessible to the public between 11am and 3pm each day.
The mobile advice centre, which was purchased with the help of Government funding, will be used for events and advice sessions organised by Advice Link, working with other partners such as the Pension Service, Welfare Rights, Community and Disability Advisors.
The Benefit Bus has three workstations, an interview desk and one private interview facility. Internet access will also allow for immediate Benefit estimates to be made.
Cllr Ian Fowler, Cabinet Member for Business Services, said: “The Benefit Bus is aimed at making people aware of exactly what benefits they are entitled to claim. Many people on lower incomes are simply unaware that they could be claiming Housing and/or Council Tax Benefits and other allowances."
“We are looking forward to local residents reaping the benefits of the bus on March 15th &16th for Blackpool's Advice Week and later on in June/September/November of this year”
An estimated £1.8billion of Council Tax Benefit is going unclaimed each year across the UK. Council Tax Benefit offers anyone on a low income help towards paying their bill and many people, particularly pensioners who own their home, are unaware that they have the right to this help.
Blackpool Council already works closely with Advice Link and other partner agencies to enable local people to benefit from financial support that they might not otherwise have taken up.