Citizens Advice warns public sector jobs cull will create new wave of debtors
September 2, 2010 by admin
Filed under Career News and Advice
Risk to homes and possessions feared as advice bureaux report big increase in benefits inquiries since election.
Looming public sector job cuts will lead to a new wave of debtors who risk losing their home or possessions, Citizens Advice warns today as its bureaux have reported an increase in welfare benefits inquiries since the general election.
The jump of 6% from last year in welfare benefits inquiries fielded by bureaux was mainly due to increased calls for advice on sickness and disability payments. The biggest increase was in concerns about the employment and support allowance (ESA), which replaced incapacity benefit this autumn.
Although ushered in by the last government, the programme has been accelerated by the welfare secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, who wants to reassess the medical condition of 2.65 million claimants of incapacity benefits, applying tougher tests so that a number will return to the labour force…
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