18 November 2005
Edward Leigh, the chair of the Commons Public Accounts Committee, has attacked the Department for Work and Pensions over its 'over-complex' social fund.
Leigh said: 'The people who need it most often don't know it exists — and, somewhat incredibly, neither do many Jobcentre staff.'
He added that the structure of the fund, designed as a safety net for those on low incomes faced with vital bills, was over-complex and gave rise to error.
The PAC report, Helping those in financial hardship: the running of the social fund, published on November 15, said that the fund had been in existence for 17 years, but awareness was low.
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