The social security office in the north of the island moves to a new home next week.

The office, which helps anyone with benefits inquiries, is moving to Ramsey’s town hall after 40 years of being based at Cummal Mooar on Queen’s Promenade.

From Tuesday (January 21) the benefits office will operate from the main counter on the ground floor of the town hall, with opening hours the same as at present (Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9.15am and 1pm and from 1.45pm until 4.30pm).

The move means people will be able to make a benefits inquiry and find out about job vacancies in the same venue, as the Job Club also operates from the town hall each Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, to help unemployed people to look for work, find application forms and write CVs.

Ralph Peake MHK, the politician with responsibility for social security, said: ’The Cummal Mooar site is scheduled for redevelopment within the next few years, so it’s a good time to review the delivery of our services to the people of the north of the island.

’It makes absolute sense to co-locate our Job Centre and benefit services and I believe it will also be helpful to residents of the north for us to be co-located with Ramsey Commissioners.

’The Treasury is very grateful to the commissioners for facilitating this.’

Ramsey Commissioners’ chairman, Andrew Cowie, said: ’It is great news that we are able to work with social security to provide this valuable service locally and also within Ramsey town hall, which will add to its role as a community hub.

’I am confident that this will be a successful initiative and work well for our ratepayers and users of the facility.’