Benefits boss job sparks row

A new £40,000-a-year manager's job to head a team helping people on benefits claim extra handouts has sparked a row.

The manager will oversee 40 council advisers who are currently touring a Black Country borough giving benefits advice.

An extra £21 million of benefits money has been given out in Sandwell in the last year alone thanks to the squad.

Now Sandwell Council is looking for a Welfare Rights Team Manager on a wage of almost £40,000 a year. This has sparked a row between pressure group the Taxpayers' Alliance - which has branded the new role a "non job,"- and Sandwell Borough Council.

The council insists many of the people being targeted are legally entitled to the cash but have failed to previously claim it. Last month the number of people signing on in Sandwell was up by 124 to 7,947 or 4.6 per cent of the population.

However, the Taxpayers' Alliance claims the new manager position "squanders taxpayers' money."

Tim Aker, of the alliance said: "Creating wealth by getting people on to benefits? On the back of spending £21 million of your money on benefits, Sandwell Council have to employ a team leader to supervise the 40 other welfare rights officers working to increase spending taxpayer-funded benefits on only 280,000 residents."

Mr Aker described the role as 'the most unbelievable job promoting dependency on the state'.

The council has denied the accusation saying the authority is only giving people what they are entitled to.

Councillor Darren Cooper, cabinet member for adult services and health, said: "The Welfare Rights Team has been vital in helping and protecting the vulnerable and elderly people."