MILLIONS MISSING OUT ON HELP WITH COUNCIL TAX

7 April 2006

Age Concern urges pensioners to stake their claim

Up to two million pensioners are missing out on Council Tax Benefit which could cut their bill by £540 a year1, warns charity Age Concern. Yet despite another round of inflation-busting bills this month, Council Tax Benefit is still the most unclaimed benefit of all - with pensioners losing out on up to £1.1 billion each year. 2

Spiralling household bills are leaving millions of older people struggling to make ends meet, yet they are still more likely than any other age group to miss out on benefits cash. In fact, shocking government figures show that up to £4.1 billion is failing to reach the pockets of millions of pensioners every year. 3

That’s why today (April 7) Age Concern is launching Your Rights Week - its annual campaign to encourage older people across the country to claim the benefits which are rightfully theirs. And with pension and benefit rates set to rise from Monday (April 10), it is more important than ever for older people to put in their claim. 4

Pension Credit, Council Tax Benefit, Housing Benefit and Attendance Allowance are the main benefits that older people are missing out on - because they don’t realise that they are entitled to extra cash, don’t know how to claim, or feel there is a stigma attached and would rather ‘make do’.

Gordon Lishman, Age Concern’s Director-General, said:

“It’s really worrying that so many older people are still not receiving the financial help that they are entitled to. Millions of pensioners across the UK are struggling to manage on a really low, fixed income and are increasingly anxious about paying their bills.

“The Government should increase the basic state pension to a decent level so that older people are not so reliant on means-tested benefits.

“But in the meantime, we would urge all older people finding it difficult to make ends meet to contact their local Age Concern and ask for a benefits check. Age Concern advisors help older people claim benefits worth millions of pounds every year.”

Age Concerns across the UK will be taking the Your Rights Week message into their local communities and running a range of activities to boost pensioners’ incomes. Throughout the week, Age Concern will be operating its information helpline - freephone 0800 00 99 66 - and sending out a free information pack to all callers. 5

To coincide with the campaign, the charity has also published a new edition of it best-selling guide Your Rights 2006-07: a guide to money benefits for older people. Now in its 34th edition and with combined sales of well over three million copies, ‘Your Rights' is the UK’s best selling benefits title.

Written by Age Concern’s income expert Sally West, the book is a must-have guide for older people and their friends, relatives or carers, providing clear, up-to-date information on the money benefits available, together with advice on how and where to claim. Copies can be ordered now by calling Age Concern Books6 on 0870 44 22 120.

Notes to editors

1. Calculated from DWP annual benefit take-up figures published January 2006, based on 2003-04 data. The £540 figure is an average
   
2. As above
   
3. As above (please note: the most recent Pension Credit take-up figures were published in September 2005)
   
4. New social security benefit rates from April 10, 2006, are attached
   
5. Age Concern’s Information Line on freephone 0800 00 99 66 is open 365 days a year, 7 days a week, 8am - 7pm. Information on benefits can also be downloaded from www.ageconcern.org.uk
   
6. Priced at £5.99 plus £1.99 p&p, the book can also be ordered online at www.ageconcern.org.uk/shop. The ISBN is 0862424151

Age Concern spokespeople and case studies are available for interview. Please contact Emma Hayes or Helen Wanless on 020 8765 7515 or 7514.

Review copies of Your Rights 2006-07 are available. Please contact Emma or Helen (as above) for further information. Copies are also available for reader offers.