Benefits | Background
Background to the Benefits Awareness and Help scheme
Professor Gary Craig, who advised the Northern Fells Rural Project Steering Group and worked with the Project Co-ordinator from 2000 to 2002, studied the “In receipt of Benefits” data from Cumbria County Council for the Wards relevant to the NFRP area, and noted that there was apparent underclaiming on a significant scale. This was borne out by the experience of Primary Health Care Nurses and Doctors, and Social Workers, locally.
The Project Co-ordinator drew upon Professor Craig’s and her own experience, and discussed the issue with local Citizen’s Advice Bureau workers.
The Project Steering Group agreed that we should research all ways to identify and assist people eligible for, but not claiming benefits. With a total population of approximately 3,500 we decided that the numbers of people likely to need assistance could be managed within the Project Co-ordinator’s work at the time.
For details of the research and development of the Scheme see Reports:
The Northern Fells Rural Project ended in November 2002 but the Northern Fells Group was awarded three years funding from the Cumbria Rural Development Programme to set up a Benefits Awareness and Help scheme locally. The scheme is now part of the Northern Fells Lend a Hand Scheme and is funded by the Northern Rock Foundation and the Clore Duffield Foundation.
Benefits Help
There are a variety of ways in which people in this very rural area are being reached:
- Through Awareness notices in the parish and community newsletters, with the Benefits Worker's telephone number
- Advertising the service in the Group’s leaflets
- On the Group’s website
- Via the local grapevine – person to person contact
- Via the doctors and nurses at the local surgery