A NEW FREE SERVICE TO HELP PEOPLE AFFECTED BY WELFARE REFORM

the hub – your community action centre on Friars Vennel in Dumfries has introduced a new service to help people who do not have computers or internet access at home and who now have to apply for welfare benefits and universal job match searches on-line.

Free internet access drop-in sessions are now available on Tues from 10.00am to 12.00 noon and on Weds from 2.00pm to 4.30pm every week with volunteers available to assist and support people to complete on-line applications.

Claire Ross from the hub said “Not everyone will have used a computer before nor be familiar with filling in the new e-forms and submitting them. Our volunteers provide a friendly, accessible and confidential service to help people with this. No need to book, just turn up”.

Dumfriesshire MSP Elaine Murray said:

“This is a very welcome service. Welfare reform has vastly increased peoples’ reliance on IT to claim benefits but many claimants don’t have access to computers or aren’t confident about using IT to fill in forms. Moreover, in some parts of Dumfries and Galloway broadband and mobile phone access is still poor. The Hub is to be congratulated on this initiative.”

Dumfries and Galloway MP Russell Brown said:

“The Government are pushing more and more people towards making benefit claims online and this can be very intimidating for people not used to using computers. As a result, there is a real fear that people could lose out simply because they complete the application incorrectly. Providing free internet access but also that crucial support to complete the forms correctly is an invaluable service being offered by the Hub”.