A SERVICE to help people who have suffered serious illness to remain safer, healthier and more independent has been launched.

North Yorkshire County Council has stared the new service to help people remain within their community after a period of ill-health and will ensure people are receiving the maximum entitlement to benefits.

The Benefits Maximisation Service has been established as part of the authority’s prevention agenda and is intended to increase people's financial wellbeing so they are then able to support themselves in their communities for a longer period of time.

The new service will be available for people who have been provided with an intensive period of personal care support in their homes by the county council’s START team in health and adult services, following serious illness, often after discharge from hospital.

Currently about 3,600 people across North Yorkshire receive short-term support from the START service, but they will now be provided with a full welfare benefits check.

County councillor Clare Wood said: “People tell us that they want to lead independent lives in their own homes for as long as possible.

“This new service will help those people who have received our intensive support for a period after serious illness, to get fully back on their feet.”