Public meetings hear of opposition to closures

Public meetings hear of opposition to closures

19 October 2016

A CAMPAIGN to secure the future of social security offices in Newcastle and Ballynahinch is now underway.

Public meetings were hosted by the public service union NIPSA in both towns last week to kick-start the lobby against proposed closures of both offices.

Dozens of staff in Ballynahinch and Newcastle, who help people with a range of benefit queries, learnt their offices had been earmarked for potential closure in a management document that appeared to have been accidentally placed on the staff intranet in the summer.

Last month, the Department for Communities confirmed it was launching a public consultation about the proposed closures of the social security offices and job centres in both towns.

A Department spokesman said the number of claimants using the two offices, and access to other offices, will be one of the criteria the department will be considering as part of its review, which will come to an end in mid-November.

Staff and claimants last week united with NIPSA to oppose closure, which they warn will disadvantage vulnerable members of the community.

Thomas McKillop, Department of Communities departmental secretary at NIPSA, who chaired Newcastle’s meeting on Tuesday evening, said figures indicated that around 20,000 visits had been made to the two offices in the past year.

With almost one in five people in Northern Ireland in receipt of tax credits, he said many of them will be required to attend for several interviews per year when benefit changes are introduced.

If the local offices are closed, he warned hundreds of claimants would need to travel to Lisburn, Belfast or Kilkeel, which he said was unfeasible in a rural community.

“It has been suggested that people will only be minorly inconvenienced if they have to catch a bus to another town, but many may first need to get into the town to catch that bus,” he said.

“If you are on Job Seekers’ Allowance and only getting £70 per week, a bus fare of £7 will be a lot of money.”

Mr McKillop said the current phone system and the problems with Broadband access in rural areas, such as Leitrim, meant there would be little alternative for those unable to travel to one of the alternative offices.

“It is also important to remember some of these claimants may be vulnerable with mental health issues and that sometimes the person they see in the social security office is the person that keeps them going, this could potentially be removing their lifeline,” he said.

“Because of the rural nature of this area, we want the government to take a full and proper look at this.”

Ballynahinch man, Mickey Coogan, who has physical and mental health difficulties, attended Thursday’s meeting in Ballynahinch to express his concern for vulnerable people who may be further isolated by the removal of the local service.

As he is currently unfit to use public transport, he said he would depend on others to drive him to Lisburn or Belfast if the local office closed.

“This could have a devastating impact on people with mental health problems or those with learning difficulties,” he said.

“The phone line is so frustrating that it is not an option for many people. For me, somebody would have to ring on my behalf and that is something I do not want as I already depend on family and friends too much.”

Kate Cleland, who is a NIPSA representative in Ballynahinch, said there were also implications for staff that should be considered.

“There are employees who will have to move offices but those who will be worst hit will be those in long term sickness or disability benefits,” she said.

“The face to face contact is so important as many claimants will be unable to fill in an online application.”

Mrs Cleland said NIPSA was urging people to contribute to the consultation process to ensure the closures do not go ahead.

“The more people who make their views known, the more those views will be taken into account,” she said.