Middlesbrough Borough Council's welfare rights unit has worked to claim £1.2m in benefits for disadvantaged residents during the past year.

Unit manager Steve Nelson said the money may have gone unclaimed due to a combination of the complexity of the benefits system, discouraging people to claim, and people not realising they were entitled to benefits.

Councillor Nelson, a member of Stockton Borough Council, said: "I think it is indisputable that the benefits system is becoming more and more complex, in that changes are coming in at a very fast pace now. And I think a lot of advisors have to work at it to cope and keep up with the changes.''

The unit has set up a course with the University of Teesside to enable other professionals to help people with benefits queries.

Coun Nelson said: "Over the past few years the work of the unit has changed dramatically.

"Our focus has moved away from giving general advice to concentrate on the needs of people who are entitled to a range of benefits, such as independent living allowance or disability allowance, and need intensive help to ensure they receive the money they are entitled to."

He said they had found they could make a substantial difference to their quality of life.