TO leave 400 pensioners fearing they will lose their benefits is an error of immense proportions. These are people in the latter years of their lives who have worried enough. To give those such as 84-year-old Ellen Hogg the fright of their lives has potential health implications as well as forcing them to endure totally avoidable trauma.

Almost as devastating and just as worrying is the news that Capita, the private company brought in to sought out Blackburn with Darwen Council's benefits system, can't get the waiting lists down.

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph revealed 18 months ago that dozens of people were facing eviction because their housing benefit claims were not being processed quickly enough - it was taking 76 days. Although the service did improve late last year, figures published this week by Blackburn with Darwen Council show that it is now taking 71 days to process new claims, against a target of 35 days and a national average of 51 days.

The situation is prompting concern at the highest levels at the town hall.

New systems and more staff are being introduced to improve things and we have been promised the same mistakes will not be made again. But we have had those promises before.

There is no doubting the benefits Capita has brought to the borough, most noticeably in terms of jobs. But are the cracks beginning to show in a partnership which was heralded as a boon for the whole area?

Only time will give us the answer.