Beneficiary and Unemployed Workers Union spokesman Miles Lacey has warned of a "toxic condition" at Work and Income.

Police are being called about security incidents at Social Development offices more than twice a day as frustration at case managers soars.

Complaints about Work and Income staff are rising, as are cases of staff and clients being verbally abused or physically assaulted, while beefed up security to deal with the issues cost tax payers more than $20 million last year, figures show.

According to information released by the Ministry of Social Development under the Official Information Act, the numbers of times police have been notified of security incidents at the Ministry's sites has multiplied by a factor of almost 12 in five years.

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During the past three years the number of trespass notices issued at Work and Income offices more than doubled, reaching 413 last year.

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Beneficiary and Unemployed Workers Union spokesman Miles Lacey said there was "a toxic condition of case managers being overworked and not able to get paperwork done on time".

SUPPLIED Associate Social Development Minister Jo Goodhew said Work and Income had no tolerance for threatening behaviour.

This led to clients missing payments and then being unable to pay bills, he said.

"A lot of them just lash out at the case worker."

On September 1, 2014 lone gunman Russell John Tully shot two people dead in an Ashburton Work and Income office.

CHRIS SKELTON/FAIRFAX NZ Labour Social Development spokeswoman Carmel Sepuloni can point to multiple occasions when beneficiaries faced the frustration of being told they were not allowed entitlements.

Associate Social Development Minister Jo Goodhew said safety for staff and clients was "paramount" and since the Ashburton killings there was a "zero tolerance" approach to threatening behaviour.

"This is reflected in the large rise in reported moderate and serious verbal abuse."

All threats were taken seriously and the number of security guards in Work and Income offices had more than doubled, she said.

DEAN KOZANIC/FAIRFAX NZ Russell John Tully on trial for his killing spree at the Ashburton Work and Income offices.

Ministry figures show that since September, 2014, guard numbers nationally have risen by about 250 to reach about 420 while the cost of guards and security systems has risen from $9.2 million in the 2010-2011 year to $20.8m last year.

Staff were required to report all security incidents in their offices, the ministry's deputy chief executive organisational solutions Nicholas Pole said.

"Events that reduce people's tolerance and resilience, like the Canterbury earthquakes starting in 2010 and the tragedy in Ashburton in 2014, may also be contributing factors," he said.

Trespassed beneficiaries were still helped even if they could not come into offices, Pole said.

Labour Social Development spokeswoman Carmel Sepuloni​ said it was understandable there was "heightened sensitivity" since the Ashburton tragedy, but there were underlying issues with Work and Income.

She was aware of cases where grandparents caring for grandchildren had been wrongly told they were not eligible for help. Others had been told they could not get childcare subsidies they were entitled to, and similar circumstances had arisen with disability allowances.

"People are anxious because they can't put food on the table and are then getting told they are not eligible for support. But many people find out later on that they were [eligible]."

Figures she obtained late in 2015 from Social Development Minister Anne Tolley's office show a steady increase in complaints filed about Work and Income. The highest portion of complaints – from 1469 complaints seven years ago to 2386 last year – regarded interpersonal skills and staff attitude.

Ruth Bound, the ministry's deputy chief executive service delivery, said complaints accounted for "less than one percent" of all interactions.

"I don't accept the assertion that when we get the correct information from clients that our staff do not give them what they are entitled to."

If staff were not professional and courteous "appropriate action is taken", she said.

Public Service Association national secretary Glenn Barclay said the increased reporting following the Ashburton murders largely explained the rise in numbers but the union's members had noticed more frustration and anger in clients.

"They believe this is caused by pressures their clients face in feeding, housing and clothing their families."

BY THE NUMBERS:

1487 - Verbal abuse or physical assault on MSD staff, clients and members of public five years ago.

3095 -Verbal abuse or physical assault on MSD staff , clients and members of public last financial year.

79 - Times police were notified of security incidents at MSD sites five years ago.

391 - Times police were notified of security incidents at MSD sites in the year before the Ashburton incident.

941 - Times police were notified of security incidents at MSD sites last financial year.

176 - Trespass notices issued for Work and Income sites three years ago.

413 - Trespass notices issued for Work and Income sites last financial year.

5695 - Complaints about Work and Income staff seven years ago.

7228 - Complaints about Work and Income staff last year.

* Child, Youth and Family figures were not included.

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