MORE than 300 staff will be based at York's new pension Service office, offering a better service to elderly people with pension problems.

As exclusively predicted in last night's Evening Press, Work and Pensions Minister Alistair Darling announced yesterday afternoon that one of the new service's regional offices was to be located at Triune Court, Monks Cross.

Minister Ian McCartney told York MP Hugh Bayley in a letter that the Government aimed to produce a "world class service focusing solely on the needs of pensioners".

He said many currently working in pensions would simply be able to transfer to Monks Cross, taking their skills and expertise with them. Other benefits staff would be retrained to learn about pensions and develop customer relations skills, and other recruitment might be necessary.

Mr Bayley said many staff would be recruited in the York area. He said the Benefits Agency had served pensioners well, but pensioners' needs were special, and many did not like to queue up at a Benefits Agency office if they had a query.

"The new service will deal with pensioners' problems over the phone and, if it is necessary and what the pensioner wants, a number of staff will be able to call in to see a pensioner at his or her home.

"As well as pensions, the new service will deal with other benefits for older people, like Attendance Allowance."

Updated: 10:36 Wednesday, December 12, 2001