Millions Charged Up To 41 Pence Per Minute To Call Premium Rate DWP Helplines

BY STEVEN PREECE · NOVEMBER 26, 2013

 

 

 

 

photo credit: H is for Home via photopin cc

Millions of the Britain’s most vulnerable people – including pensioners, disabled people and jobseeker’s – are being forced to use premium rate Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) phone lines in order to access advice and support, the Telegraph has reported.

The DWP operates a scandalous 180 premium rate phone lines, charging up to 41 pence per minute to access advice about maternity allowance, claim unemployment benefits, apply for emergency financial assistance, get advice about state pensions and find out what support is available for disabled people, as well as many others services operated by the DWP.

In the past year alone more than 12 million people have called the DWP switchboard to change jobcentre appointments, make a claim for benefits, report changes in their circumstances and chase missing benefit payments. The 0845 numbers also provides unemployed people assistance in finding a job.

Close to 4 million have been forced to use another premium rate DWP phone line to seek emergency financial aid in the form of ‘crisis loans’, designed to help some of Britain’s poorest people pay for general living costs and items such as a replacement cooker or fridge, should theirs breakdown. Such financial support is now being devolved to local authorities.

Perhaps the most scandalous of all is the 150,000 people charged a premium fee to telephone the DWP for bereavement advice and those who need help covering the cost of a funeral after the death of a loved one.

The DWP claim that there is geographic alternative option to the 0845 premium rate numbers they currently use.

Richard Lloyd, Chief Executive of the consumer advice website Which?, told the Telegraph:

“It’s outrageous that the Department of Work and Pensions uses so many high rate numbers, especially on helplines for financially vulnerable groups.

“The Cabinet Office must act immediately to ensure the Government and public bodies lead by example and cut off costly calls.”

Cable & Wireless, the company responsible for running the DWP’s premium rate network make almost £1 million in profit, according to the HMRC. The National Audit Office says, £33 million was spent by people calling the DWP on 0845 numbers last year.

A spokesperson for the DWP told the Telegraph that they were were committed to finding an alternative to 0845 numbers, but admitted that ”no alternative geographic numbers” were currently in use. The spokesperson added:

“All claimants who need to use an 0845 number can do so for free from their local Jobcentre or can request a call back from an adviser.”