05 March 2009

Chester City Council’s benefit team is looking at new and innovative ways of improving the service it offers and now has access to an online benefit calculator and claim form.

The system takes customer’s details and tells them if they will qualify for housing and/ or council tax benefit.

If a benefit claim is appropriate then the system automatically transfers to a claim form tailored to the claimant’s particular circumstances and helps them through the process.

Customers are then offered the opportunity to attend the council offices for a follow up interview with a benefit expert who will then assess the claim.

This service is available to all Chester residents via the Chester City Council website.

The city council is committed to ensuring that full benefit entitlement is claimed by those people who need it.

Councillorr Stephen Mosley, Executive Member for Customer Services said: "Chester City Council is extremely grateful to the Citizens Advice Bureau for promoting this new service. We are both committed to making sure as many people as possible take up the benefits that they are entitled to. This new service means we can help people much more efficiently and, therefore, deliver better value for money for Chester taxpayers."

If you require independent impartial advice and information on benefits you can contact Chester Citizens Advice Bureau at Folliott House, 53 Northgate Street, Chester on 0844 862 9690, which is promoting this new online service to their clients.

For more information contact Michael Mcgivern on 01244 402362.

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