A SURVEY has found that families suffering from financial hardship in a North-East town are not claiming their full benefit entitlement.

Results from a here to HELP programme, run jointly by British Gas and Middlesbrough Council, shows that many households in the town may be under-claiming social security benefits by an average £1,000 a year.

Of those canvassed so far, 31 per cent have been identified as being eligible for other benefits, with the average increase being £1,000 a year.

Middlesbrough is one of the first areas in the country to be included in a British Gas here to HELP programme.

The programme provides householders on lower incomes with energy efficiency improvements to their homes and help and advice from a range of charities.

A benefits health check which assesses the benefits being claimed by householders and advises on eligibility for further benefits, is offered as an additional service.

Mark Clare, British Gas managing director, said, "It is shocking that some of the most vulnerable people in society are missing out on basic benefits."

Nationally, the programme has already identified £500,000 of unclaimed benefits - and that is across only the first 1,200 households surveyed in some of Britain's most deprived communities.

During the next three years, here to HELP will target assistance to 500,000 homes across Britain, which could lead to tens of millions of pounds of additional benefit being claimed.

Carl Bayliss, National Debtline manager, said the findings echoed Debtline's own experience.

He said: "Income maximisation is a vital part of our work.

"We support this excellent initiative to help stop people missing out on basic benefits."