DESPERATE Rubery and Rednal residents could be forced to wait for vital cash handouts because staff at a busy benefits agency are out on strike over safety fears.

Scores of vulnerable householders and families who receive payments from Northfield Benefits Agency are now unable to go into the Bristol Road office to collect their money after more than 70 per cent of the staff walked out last Monday, October 22.

It follows plans to remove their safety screens.

Families who rely on benefit payments have been forced to try to get through to the remaining staff on just one phoneline, to book an appointment so they can collect their much-needed money.

The action by the 105 workers follows plans to remove screens which protect them from members of the public.

The aim of the change is to make the environment more welcoming when the benefits agency merges with the job centre at a new office in Northfield.

Benefits agency worker Lisa Cochrane, who is out on strike, told the Advertiser/Mess-enger the controversial change will put their lives at risk.

She said: "The staff have to deal with a lot of mentally unstable customers.

"As they are mentally ill, if we give them a decision they don't like we never know how they will react and therefore the screens are vital for our safety."

A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman said: "We are doing everything we can to maintain payments to vulnerable people but there will be delays as there are so many staff on strike."