Rankin urges older people to call Age NI helpline

DROMORE Councillor Paul Rankin is urging older people in the area to contact Age Northern Ireland’s helpline as it continues its efforts to help older people across Northern Ireland access all the financial support they are entitled to.
By The Newsroom
Published 1st Jul 2012, 09:00 BST

Age NI’s ‘Let’s Talk Money’ campaign comes with news that £100 million in pension credit and housing benefit alone is going unclaimed by older people in Northern Ireland every year, this according to a Report on the Uptake of Benefits by Pensioners from the NI Assembly Public Account Committee.

With the support of the NIE Staff and Pensioners’ Charity Fund, Age NI has produced ‘More Money in your Pocket’, a simple guide to the benefits available for older people.

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Many reasons prevent older people from getting the right financial support - not knowing where to start, difficulty filling in forms, and even the belief that someone else needs the help more.

Said Mr. Rankin, “I would encourage older people to contact the Age NI Helpline 080 8808 7575 for a free and confidential benefits check.

“Last year Age NI dealt with 14,000 calls from older people, through their advice line, identifying £709,000 in unclaimed benefits.”

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