Benefit claim sparks anger

Councillors from St Mary’s ward have slammed a story in a Sunday newspaper which claims an Oldham street is second highest for benefit claims in the country.

Egerton Street was listed second in a top 10 of benefit blackspots, with 110 out of 113 residents (97.3 per cent) claiming from the state.

The street came second only to the Cottsmeadow estate in Birmingham, where only one of the 106 people on the estate worked.

Streets in Rochdale and Salford were also named in the top 10 benefit blackspots for work age adults on benefits.

However, local councillors said the story does not paint a clear picture of the ward which they said is one of the most deprived in the country with a high percentage of elderly residents.

Liberal Democrat councillor Mohammed Masud said: “St Mary’s ward is in the top 10 per cent of the most deprived wards in the country.

“In terms of the Egerton Street area, there are two of the largest sheltered housing schemes in Oldham in Gower Street and Wallshaw Street.

“Most of those residents are elderly and claiming benefit.

“The story is a bit unfair, they should have mentioned all those things.”

Labour councillor Ali Aqeel Salamat said: “There are not that many houses round there but there are flats at the top of Egerton Street which are mainly occupied by the elderly.”