COUNCIL officials are stepping up a drive to ensure local residents are not missing out on benefits.
Staff from Hartlepool Borough Council will be at the town's Middleton Grange shopping centre on Thursday, from 9am to 4pm, to advise people of their entitlements.
A similar exercise last year resulted in thousands of pounds being paid after benefit calculations were carried out.
Benefits manager Christopher Akers said: "We have a commitment to maximise the take-up of benefits, and the key to this is making sure that people know what they can legally claim. People who are entitled to benefits are the ones who need them most. Our presence in the Middleton Grange shopping centre will enable us to carry out a quick assessment while people wait."
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