A new service is being offered to many low-income families living in rented accommodation in Torbay, making it easier for them to claim for housing benefits.

Torbay Council has teamed up with Westcountry Housing Association and Riviera Housing Trust to provide the new service, which starts on 2 February 2004.

If a tenant on a low income needs to claim housing benefit to help meet their rent, their landlord will be able to help them complete and submit their claims and deal with any changes that affect housing or council tax benefits.

Riviera Housing Trust and Westcountry Housing Association are two registered social landlords responsible to the Housing Corporation, who provide permanent, affordable accommodation for over 4,000 tenants in Torbay through a variety of housing schemes.

The three organisations jointly applied for government funding available specifically for this scheme and were successful in obtaining £35,000 to set up the project.

Over the past few months, the Council has trained employees of both registered social landlords to deal with benefit applications and to collect the necessary information to enable the council to make a decision on the benefit claim.

Cllr. Roger Stringer, Executive Member responsible for Housing Benefits said: 'Our customers often find the forms difficult to complete and may prefer to contact their housing officer about their claim rather than the Council. This initiative gives more choice to tenants who can, of course, continue to use the Council's Connections offices and the benefits telephone helplines in the normal way if they wish.

'This is a great opportunity to offer our customers more choice and the joint project team has worked very hard to prepare for the launch. I am very pleased that the Council has joined in this partnership to improve our service.'

Neil Botfish, Acting Chief Executive at Riviera Housing Trust said: 'We are delighted to be working in partnership with our colleagues at the Council and at Westcountry Housing Association to provide our customers with an enhanced service that provides additional expertise, tailored to their needs.'

Julian Tuck, Chief Executive of Westcountry Housing Association said: 'We are proud to be able to offer improved and more convenient customer services to our Torbay residents through this Housing and Council Tax Benefit initiative, working with Riviera Housing Trust and the Council.'

Any tenant who wants more information can contact their landlord on the following telephone numbers: Westcountry Housing Association tenants - 01803 200300; Riviera Housing Trust tenants - 01803 409409; or Torbay Council's benefit help lines for surnames beginning with A - Dl - 01803 207201 Do - Ka - 01803 207202 Kb - Rl- 01803 207203 Ro - Z - 01803 207204 or call into the Council's Connections offices in Torquay, Paignton or Brixham.

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