Some Benefits Customers To Be Affected Following Primark Fire

The offices of the Department for Communities (DfC) in CastleCourt, Belfast, will be closed until at least Thursday, 30 August, due to the fire at Primark, Bank Buildings on Royal Avenue.

This decision has been made to allow the necessary safety checks required by Fire safety Teams to ensure that the office is fit for use, in terms of health and safety, before staff return. It is also to avoid compounding any safety issues by bringing large numbers of staff into the area during this incident.

Therefore, DfC staff working in CastleCourt should not attend this office on Wednesday 29 August. Normal services are expected to resume on Thursday 30 August.

Universal Credit service is unaffected by this closure and customers can contact the Department as normal. Jobseekers' Allowance customers due to attend Royal Avenue Social Security Office on Wednesday 29 August will be excused and payments will not be affected. Any other customers seeking to use Royal Avenue on Wednesday 29 August should instead use the North Belfast office in the Design Centre, 39 Corporation Street, Belfast.

Unfortunately, there will be a number of services impacted by this closure. They are:

• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

• Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

• Carers Allowance

• Attendance Allowance

• Welfare Supplementary Payments.

Customers for these benefits will not be able to contact the CastleCourt office until 9am on Thursday 30 August.

Any customer requiring assistance can make contact with their local Jobs & Benefits office or Social Security office.

The Department for Communities apologises for any inconvenience caused.

(MH/CM)