PEOPLE have been urged to contact the Department for Communities to see if they qualify for extra financial support.
The public can use the 'Make the Call' service, which assists people in accessing a wide range of benefits and supports that they are entitled to but may not been claiming.
Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey urged people to contact her department to check their eligibility for financial support in the face of the ongoing cost of living crisis. She was was speaking as she met with people who could benefit from the service.
Make the Call has extended its outreach services in response to rising household costs. A series of forthcoming surgeries have been organised at libraries, including Bangor, Derry Central and Rathcoole, Grove, and Ormeau Road in Belfast.
“The Make the Call service is designed to maximise benefit support and by bringing the service into communities, people can call in and talk with staff who can look at whatever assistance might be available to them," the minister said.
“The team is available for confidential, face-to-face discussions and can guide you through the process and check possible eligibility."
Last month nearly 5,000 calls were made to the service, which led to 1,681 people receiving new entitlements to benefits and other support services.
:: To 'Make the Call' you can phone 0800 232 1271; text ADVICE to 079 8440 5248; Visit Make the Call.
