A TOTAL of £181,878 worth of funding has been secured for the Belfast Citywide Tribunal Service.
Based in the Wolfhill Centre in Ligoniel, the service represents clients who wish to appeal Social Security Agency (SSA) decisions on benefits, including Employment Support Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independent Payment and Universal Credit.
They enables clients to challenge decisions, assisting them through the process and representing them in both an Appeal and Tribunal setting.
A motion by North Belfast People Before Profit councillor Fiona Ferguson was passed at Belfast City Council on Monday night.
"I am delighted to have secured funding for a vital welfare advice service rooted in North Belfast, once again," said Fiona.
Delighted to have secured funding for the Belfast Citywide Tribunal, a vital service which has won millions of pounds for people by challenging unfair benefits decisions.
— Cllr Fiona Ferguson (@fiona_ferg) April 4, 2022
The work of this service is incredible - clawing back millions for people wrongly denied benefits. pic.twitter.com/gd1eHbjJ2K
"My proposal came about because the Minister for Communities has once again failed to deliver core funding for this service.
"The Citywide Tribunal has clawed back millions of pounds for people in working class communities by successfully appealing wrongful decisions to deny people benefits. Our benefits system is flawed to the core and this service helps to write the wrongs – it should be properly funded in the long-term.
"The staff at the Citywide Tribunal work incredibly hard to help our communities yet they are in need of a pay rise and lessened workloads. I hope that the funding I have secured can deliver some relief for the year ahead."
