UNITE Community activists set up shop outside Huddersfield jobcentre yesterday in a campaign aimed at helping people with claims and to fight back against benefit sanctions.

General union Unite established its first Community branches three years ago to enable people not in a workplace — including pensioners, students and unemployed and disabled workers — to have access to trade union membership and support.

Unite Community provides help with benefit claims, but also gives training on community activism, such as campaigning against attacks on the NHS and other public services and resisting the bedroom tax and withdrawal of benefits from disabled people.

It is now fighting Maximus, the profiteer that took over the job of making “work capability assessments” from the disgraced and reviled Atos.

“The work we do is absolutely essential,” said Huddersfield Unite Community member Vernon Taylor.