Response to government figures on take up of benefits

Leading charity 'deeply concerned' that up to £5 billion is going unclaimed
04.03.04

Leading national children's charity, the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) has spoken of its deep concern at official figures released last week that show millions of pounds of income related benefits going unclaimed.

The government figures, published by the Department for Work and Pensions give estimates of take up of the main income related benefits (income support, minimum income guarantee, income-based jobseeker's allowance, housing benefit and council tax benefit) in Great Britain for April 2001 to March 2002.

The total amount of income support that went unclaimed was between £220 million and £880 million. Although a high percentage of single parents are taking up their entitlement, the figures show that across the UK, up to a third of a million people are not claiming.

'These figures are very worrying – the role benefits play in maximising incomes is fundamental to the relief of income poverty for families with children.'said Paula Twigg, Welfare Rights Manager at CPAG.

The statistics, which are published annually by the government, show that overall between £3 and £5 billion of key benefits were left unclaimed in 2001/02.

'These figures highlight the need for more to be done to support existing take-up campaigns and to promote further work in this area. Take-up is of major importance in the alleviation of income poverty.' Paula Twigg said

For more information contact:

Ashley Riley
Press Officer
Mobile: 07811 324339
020 7812 5216
email ariley@cpag.org.uk