THE Who Benefits? coalition campaign reveals that benefit claimants face physical and verbal abuse and widespread discrimination. The negative perception of benefits claimants often portrayed in the national media reflects a small minority of claimants and is simply used as political propaganda.

The vast majority of claimants are genuine hard-working people who have fallen on hard times. We are all vulnerable to unemployment, bereavement, illness, disability and relationship breakdowns, which are the life events which often precede people’s financial difficulties.

It is estimated that billions of pounds in benefits go unclaimed each year and I believe one of the reasons for this is because of the stigma attached to claiming benefits. Anyone who has worked has paid National Insurance and tax so they are simply claiming back money they have already paid into the system.

Readers can join the campaign at www.whobenefits.org.uk.

Michael Egan The Shires, St Helens