§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Employment if unemployment benefit offices are able to arrange home visits to claimants in sparsely populated rural areas where transport to offices is difficult.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkIt is not normally necessary to visit unemployment benefit claimants at home, but this can be arranged if attendance at the nearest office would cause hardship and the matter cannot be dealt with by post.
§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his Department's policy towards provision of unemployment benefit forms by post to claimants in sparsely populated rural areas; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkPeople who live more than six miles from the nearest unemployment benefit office can make their regular claims to unemployment benefit by post. They are given books of claim forms when they first claim at the office and when they attend at quarterly intervals. These quarterly attendances can be replaced by a postal confirmation of unemployment in exceptional circumstances.
Those who live more than 10 miles away can also be issued with forms to make their initial claim by post.