Pensioners need help in claiming benefits they are entitled to

11.15.00am GMT Sat 14th Feb 2009

Liberal Democrats on Oxford City Council are proposing budget amendments to help the elderly in the city who are in financial hardship, often resulting from increases in fuel costs. The national charity Help the Aged has recently reported that pensioners are failing to claim up to £5 billion of benefits they are entitled to every year, despite the fact that one in five pensioners lives in poverty and is struggling to meet the rising cost of living.

The charity is calling on the Government to automatically pay benefits to those who are entitled to them, rather than forcing people to go through the "convoluted claims process". Each year up to £1.51 billion in council tax benefit and £770 million in housing benefit goes unclaimed, with people also missing out on £2.81 billion of Pension Credit. It is estimated that 2.14 million people, or 45% of those eligible, are failing to claim council tax benefit, with 1.82 million not claiming Pension Credit - 41% of those entitled. A further 350,000 older people are also not claiming housing benefit.

Cllr Gwynneth Royce, Older People's Champion for the Liberal Democrat group, said: "Difficult economic times mean it is even more important for pensioners to get every penny that is rightfully theirs. The Council has a duty to do what it can to help older people receive their benefits. We are proposing extra funding for advice to the elderly and others in financial hardship. We would also urge all older people to find out if they are entitled to benefits that could help."