A TOWN hall department's workload is on the increase - as is the praise for what it does.
Over the past year, Middlesbrough Council's welfare rights unit has helped more than 1,600 people - a 65 per cent rise on the previous 12 months - to claim more than £2m in unclaimed benefits. It represented clients at 113 social security appeal tribunals - a 61 per cent increase.
The unit had a client satisfaction rating of 99.7 per cent. Only one person out of 330 who completed a customer satisfaction form said they were "dissatisfied".
More than 200 wrote comments reflecting their satisfaction.
The unit is joining forces with Middlesbrough Citizens' Advice Bureau to run an advice project at Middlesbrough's James Cook University Hospital for people 60 and over who are in hospital, and their carers.
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