Cash-strapped Wayne Davies said he had been waiting seven weeks for benefits after being made redundant - officials say they did not profit
A cancer sufferer was billed nearly £40 for phoning a Government helpline to
claim the benefits he was
due.
Wayne Davies, 60, was forced to ring the 0845 number, which costs up to 40p a minute from mobiles, after his payments were delayed.
The ex-building worker had to use his mobile as he is temporarily living in a caravan to be closer to a medical centre treating his nasal cancer.
Cash-strapped Wayne said he had been waiting seven weeks for benefits after being made redundant, he told the Sunday People.
He called the helpline 13 times.
He said: “They keep you hanging on and you can wait up to 10 minutes to speak to someone.
"When I checked my account I couldn’t believe it. I called the phone company to complain but they told me the charges were for 0845 numbers.
"At that point I realised the ridiculous charge was due to my calls to Jobcentre Plus.
"The calls had cost me £36.50.”
The Government use a host of 0845 numbers for benefit and NHS helplines.
These are charged as a local call on landlines, with some customers getting them free as part of their package.
But they can be 40p a minute from mobiles. This hits many of the poorest and most vulnerable people who try to make ends meet by using cheap Sim handsets and cancelling their landline.
Wayne, who got in touch last week after the Sunday People exposed the cost of phoning Britain’s six big energy firms, said: “The Government appears to be taking advantage of vulnerable people and making money out of them.”
Wayne Davies, 60, was forced to ring the 0845 number, which costs up to 40p a minute from mobiles, after his payments were delayed.
The ex-building worker had to use his mobile as he is temporarily living in a caravan to be closer to a medical centre treating his nasal cancer.
Cash-strapped Wayne said he had been waiting seven weeks for benefits after being made redundant, he told the Sunday People.
He called the helpline 13 times.
He said: “They keep you hanging on and you can wait up to 10 minutes to speak to someone.
"When I checked my account I couldn’t believe it. I called the phone company to complain but they told me the charges were for 0845 numbers.
"At that point I realised the ridiculous charge was due to my calls to Jobcentre Plus.
"The calls had cost me £36.50.”
The Government use a host of 0845 numbers for benefit and NHS helplines.
These are charged as a local call on landlines, with some customers getting them free as part of their package.
But they can be 40p a minute from mobiles. This hits many of the poorest and most vulnerable people who try to make ends meet by using cheap Sim handsets and cancelling their landline.
Wayne, who got in touch last week after the Sunday People exposed the cost of phoning Britain’s six big energy firms, said: “The Government appears to be taking advantage of vulnerable people and making money out of them.”
The Department for Work and Pensions said it made “no revenue”
from 0845 numbers and that claimants could call free from job centres or request
a call back.
