A STAGGERING £301,037 of unclaimed benefits has found its way into people's pockets thanks to the district's Citizens' Advice Bureau.

Advisers at Wyre Forest CAB discovered many who visited them last year with financial problems were not claiming benefits to which they were entitled.

The 30-strong staff also helped people claim more than £30,000 from former employers for cases including unpaid redundancies and unfair dismissal claims.

Kate Bennett, manager of the CAB service in New Road, Kidderminster, said most of the people helped with benefit claims were families and elderly people who misunderstood the complicated system.

But she added many others were still failing to claim what they were due, quoting government statistics showing only 54 per cent of those entitled to Working Families' Tax Credit were claiming it.

"People come in if they are struggling to manage their finances and quite often they are not getting all the money they are entitled to," she said.

"And although it may only be a couple of pounds a week it could be the difference between struggling and living comfortably."

She added advisers tried to offer free benefit checks to all their clients and leaflets had been distributed in public places, such as doctors' surgeries, to raise awareness.

"There have been a number of changes in legislation which people, particularly elderly people and families, did not know about," she said.

"The other thing is people get their benefits in lots of different ways, but nobody links it all.

"One benefit can make you eligible for another, but because it's from different departments it may not always be put together."

CAB advisers are also celebrating the success of their website, www.wyreforestcab.org.uk, which has been visited more than 800 times since it was set up last autumn.

Anyone who feels they may need help from the CAB should call 01562 823953.

The office is open from 10am until 4pm on Mondays and Thursdays, from 4pm-6pm on Tuesdays, and 10am-1pm on Wednesdays and Fridays.