A COUNCIL is cutting benefits office opening hours in a bid to force more people to fill in forms using the internet.

Tendring Council's benefits and revenues office in Clacton's Pier Avenue will open an hour later from Tuesday to Thursday as part of the three-month pilot scheme.

It will continue to open from 9am on Mondays and Fridays - the busiest days of the week.

Closing times will stay the same when the changes come in on May 10.

Council benefits boss John Hughes said: “We know from experience that the busiest days for people to come into the office is on Mondays and Fridays so there will be no changes on those days.

“However, we need to try to encourage more people to use online forms which are much quicker than interviews – for both us and customers - and provide all the necessary information about the details we require from people.”