Age Concern highlights benefits confusion for older people

Some of the poorest and most excluded older people are missing out on benefits because they do not understand their entitlements, charity Age Concern has warned.
 
Research by the charity shows that more than one-third of people are worried that an older friend or relative is losing out on vital money or benefits.
 
Age Concern is launching Your Rights, a campaign to encourage friends and families to do more to claim the cash.
 
Up to £4.2bn in benefits are left unclaimed, and the charity has set a target of getting older people to claim £100 million before April 2008.
 
Gordon Lishman, director general of Age Concern, said: “Millions of older people across the UK are missing out on money that’s rightfully theirs and could make a huge difference to their quality of life. Claiming council tax benefit alone could cut bills by an average of £580 a year and claiming housing benefit could mean paying less or no rent at all.”