Charity launches guide to help older people claim all their entitlements
Published on 09 May 2023 12:40 PM
More than 200m worth of pension credit goes unclaimed in Wales each year
Age Cymru has launched its More Money in Your Pocket guide to help and encourage older people claim all their benefit entitlements.
Despite many struggling to pay their bills during the current cost-of-living crisis, more than £200m worth of pension credit goes unclaimed in Wales each year which is in addition to the huge amounts left unclaimed for a raft of other benefits.
Between 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023, the charity has had 73,728 visits to our benefits advice pages on our website in addition to thousands of calls to our advice line, demonstrating how important the issue of financial support is becoming to older people.
Age Cymru’s chief executive Victoria Lloyd says “Some people don’t claim as they may think they’re not eligible, perhaps because they own their own home or have savings. Some are put off by the claims process or simply don’t realise the range of support that is available to them in older age. And others might feel they are managing or don’t want to be seen as needing to claim.
“Hopefully, this guide will encourage older people to seek the support they need to claim all their benefit entitlements. In the case of Pension Credit, if you are entitled to it, why not claim it? More than 1.5 million older people in the UK already do so. It is support that can ease the struggle and take away some of the worry about paying for bills.”
The guide highlights what support is available in the three specific categories of your pension, your home, and your wellbeing.
The pensions element looks at the state pension, including how it may be enhanced through pension credit.
The home-based benefits category highlights council tax reduction schemes, housing benefit, winter fuel payment, cold weather payment, and the warm home discount scheme.
And the well-being category explains what help is available with urgent or one-off expenses, support with health costs such as dental treatment and eye care, and certain travel costs to receive NHS treatment. It also explores attendance allowance and the carer’s allowance.
To keep up to date with all the current support available to help older people through the cost-of-living crisis visit Age Cymru’s website: www.agecymru.org.uk/cost-of-living
To order a copy of the More Money In Your Pocket guide, or if you’d like to seek the support of the Charity’s information and advice service about this or any other matter, please call 0300 303 44 98 between 9am and 4pm, Monday to Friday, or email advice@agecymru.org.uk.
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Notes to editors
(ref 1) The £200m figure for unclaimed pension credit was published in the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales’ news release Pension Credit claim deadline means older people could miss out on crucial cost of living payments worth hundreds of pounds, warns Commissioner, 13 December 2022.