Pre-Pandemic La Motte Street Walk-Ins 'Not Manageable'

Tuesday, 9 March 2021 09:30

The Social Security Minister says she can't give an answer on if Customer and Local Services will eventually go back to what it was like before the pandemic.

People currently have to make appointments over the phone or online before seeing anyone at La Motte Street.

Drop-ins were first stopped on 24 March 2020 to help minimise the spread of Covid-19.

Deputy Judy Martin says they had around 1,000 walk-ins a day before Covid struck - which isn't manageable.

"That's absolutely not manageable safely, it can't keep my staff safe who are paying out the money by the way.

"Most people - they've done it once online, they've phoned up and they've had a conversation. We're getting very few appointments to actually come in."

It was announced in June 2020 that Customer and Local Services would stay closed to drop-in customers because more people were able to resolve queries online and over the phone.

The Health and Social Security Panel questioned why it couldn't reopen for drop-ins, especially for the more vulnerable who may prefer to see someone in person.

Director General Ian Burns says most can still get their answers over the phone.

"We can answer most person's questions online and if you spend any time seeing the people who pop in to La Motte Street, most people are just trying to put something through a letterbox and would prefer to hand it to somebody rather than put it into a postbox, for example."