COUNCILS across the region are to benefit from a cash boost to improve housing benefit departments.
The local authorities will receive the money as part of the Government's Housing Help Fund.
The councils to benefit from a share of the £1.8m fund include Durham, Teesdale, Sedgefield, Stockton and Chester-le-Street.
The Government hopes that customer service will be greatly improved in offices throughout the regions, thanks to the funding.
Work and pensions minister Malcolm Wicks announced the successful bids at a conference in Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
He said: "This money will help more than 250 local authorities across Britain to improve housing benefit administration through training, information technology (IT) and customer service projects.
"Most of the projects will help provide thorough training for staff.
"Other projects will develop better IT systems and all will, in some way, improve services to customers."
The Department for Work and Pensions has also devised measures to help councils crack down on fraud.
From April, council staff will be able to ask banks, insurance and utility companies for relevant information on people they suspect of fraud.
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