Forget good luck‚ know your rights - Read the Your Rights leaftlet‚ find out more information on benefits you could be entitled to.

“Claiming benefits has made a real difference to my quality of life and means that I can now afford health treatments that I wouldn’t have had before. It really is worth taking the time to find out what help is available and how to make a claim.” Mrs E‚ East Cheshire

More older people than ever before are entitled to money benefits – yet up to £2.5 billion of unclaimed benefits cash1 is sitting in the Government’s coffers while millions struggle to make ends meet.  That’s why today Age Concern is launching its annual Your Rights campaign (April 7-23)‚ to encourage older people to claim what is rightfully theirs.

And with increased benefit rates in place from Monday April 122‚ the message is clear – ‘don’t miss out‚ claim your benefits now’. Free information packs are available now by calling the Age Concern Information Line on freephone 0800 00 99 66.3

Despite many older people worrying about their latest Council Tax Bill‚ up to £770 million4 in Council Tax Benefit is waiting to be claimed by 1.7 million pensioner households5 - this means the average pensioner eligible for this benefit could be £425 a year better off!

And unclaimed Council Tax Benefit is just the tip of the iceberg. Other benefits that older people miss out on include Pension Credit‚ Housing Benefit or non means-tested cash such as Attendance Allowance. In some cases‚ pensioners could even double their income by claiming.6

Over two million pensioners are living below the poverty line7 yet older people are still more likely than any other group to miss out on benefits cash. Some don’t realise they are eligible‚ others find the system too complicated‚ and many feel there is a stigma attached to claiming and would rather ‘make do’.

With an additional 1.9 million older people either eligible for Council Tax Benefit for the first time or entitled to more help following changes made with the introduction of Pension Credit last year8‚ it’s more important than ever that people know their rights.
 
Age Concern Director-General‚ Gordon Lishman‚ said:
“The latest benefit take-up rates are deeply disturbing. At a time when many pensioners are struggling to pay their increasing bills‚ it is enormously worrying to see so many not claiming their benefits.

 “Council Tax Benefit and Pension Credit are just two of the many benefits available to older people to help increase income and save on bills - but they can only make a difference if people claim what is rightfully theirs.

“Many local Age Concerns have benefits advisors available throughout the year to give relevant information and practical assistance. Our advisors help older people claim benefits worth millions of pounds every year - but there’s still more work to be done. Claiming money benefits doesn’t have to be difficult and can make a real difference to someone’s quality of life.”
           
Age Concern’s new guide‚ ‘Your Rights 2004-05: a guide to money benefits for older people’ is now in the shops9. The book‚ written by Age Concern’s income expert Sally West‚ is a must-have handbook for older people and their friends‚ relatives or carers. It provides clear‚ up-to-date information on all the main benefits available‚ together with advice on how and where to claim. And now in its 32nd edition and with combined sales of over three million copies‚ ‘Your Rights’ is the UK’s best selling benefits title.

Notes to editors

1 Figure calculated by Age Concern from DWP Income-Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 2001/02‚ pub. February 26‚ 2004
2 New social security benefit rates from April 12‚ 2004‚ are enclosed separately
3 The information line is open 365 days a year‚ 7 days a week‚ 7am-7pm
4 DWP Income-Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 2001/02
5 DWP Income-Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 2001/02
6 For example‚ this might apply to someone who starts to receive Attendance Allowance and Pension Credit where their Pension Credit includes a ‘severe disability addition’ which is paid on top of the standard rate paid to some disabled people living alone
7 DWP ‘Household Below Average Income’ statistics 1994/5-2002/03‚ pub. March 30‚ 2004
8 DWP‚ December 15‚ 2003
9 Priced at £4.99 plus £1.99 p&p‚ this book is also available by calling Age Concern Books on 0870 4422 120 or writing to Age Concern Books‚ Units 5&6‚ Industrial Estate‚ Brecon‚ Powys LD3 8LA. It is also available at many local Age Concerns‚ WH Smith and all good bookshops

Please note: many local Age Concerns will be closed over the Easter period and will re-open on Wednesday‚ April 14. However‚ the information line number is open throughout this period.

Case studies may be available on request

Radio producers: Age Concern offers an ISDN facility

If you require a review copy of ‘Your Rights 2004-05’‚ front cover jpeg‚ or would like to organise a reader offer‚ please contact Helen Wanless‚ ACE Media Unit‚ Tel: 020 8765 7514

The author Sally West is Age Concern England’s Income Policy Officer. To request an interview‚ please contact Helen Wanless‚ ACE Media Unit‚ Tel: 020 8765 7514

Media contact:

Helen Wanless / Susanna Mordaunt
Telephone:
020 8765 7514/ 7515
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07071 243 243
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Media Team