SDLP Foyle MP Mark Durkan has signed a parliamentary motion at Westminster calling on the government to urgently investigate the conduct of American outsourcing company Concentrix who carry out checks on tax credit claims on behalf of HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
The former SDLP leader said party offices have been inundated with complaints from constituents threatened with their tax credits being cut or stopped.
And when caseworkers try to call the company’s dedicated helpline number to clarify or rectify the situation, they face long waits.
Mr Durkan said: “Over the past number of months my staff have made numerous calls on behalf of constituents to both the publicly available telephone number for Concentrix, as well as the intermediary line.
“However, it is frustratingly difficult to have a call answered and even when this happens, staff at both lines will only speak to my staff if the constituent is present.
“This is not always practical given the length of time it takes for a call to be answered in the first place.
“This is understandably very frustrating for constituents hoping for a resolution to the problems that they are experiencing, as well as to my own caseworkers, who of course wish to help.
“People whose tax credits are stopped or are suddenly cut are experiencing an immense amount of stress and hardship which is pushing many families into poverty.
“Indeed, although people can appeal, tax credits are not paid until this lengthy process is completed, leaving them out of pocket for weeks or months.
“As well as pressing the government to urgently investigate the conduct of Concentrix, I have written to the Treasury Minister David Gauke highlighting my deep concerns.
“I have also backed the bid for a debate on this at Westminster and have tabled a parliamentary question calling on the Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond to introduce a new MP hotline number for cases specifically dealing with Concentrix.”