Information & Advice

Age UK Portsmouth offers a free and confidential information and advice service for older people, their families and carers.

We provide free, independent and confidential information and advice on a wide range of issues affecting people over the age of 50 in Portsmouth and the local area. Our aim is to provide you with the facts so that you can make choices and decisions knowing that you have reliable information.

Issues we can help you with

• Welfare benefits and entitlements
• Housing choices
• Money matters
• Blue Badge applications
• Health and social care
• Staying independent at home
• Residential and nursing care
• Leisure and social activities
• Family and personal matters
• Legal issues
• Your rights

Welfare benefits

Benefits enquiries are one of our most common requests, and last year we were able to help claim over £1.3 million in benefits for older people living in the Portsmouth area. It is estimated that every year over £3.5 billion of benefits goes unclaimed across the country, with three million older people living below the poverty line.

Many people are put off claiming either by the complexity of the benefits system, or they assume they cannot claim anything because they have a private pension or have some savings or own their home.

We have a team of trained staff and volunteers who can check to see if you are entitled to claim any welfare or disability benefits, and can help you through the claims process from start to finish. If needed we can give you assistance filling in all of the forms.

We may also be able to help if you have already been turned down for certain benefits and would like to have the decision looked at again.

Legal issues

Every two weeks legal advisors from Biscoes Solicitors offer free 20 minute appointments at the Bradbury Centre to provide advice on matters such as Wills, Power of Attorney, Probate and other legal issues.

How to contact us

Our Information & Advice service is open Monday to Friday, from 9.00am to 5.00pm (4.30pm on Fridays) at the Bradbury Centre. We can offer telephone advice or face-to-face office appointments and even home visits if necessary.

You can telephone for an appointment on 023 9288 3500 or email us at enquiries@ageukportsmouth.org.uk or write to us at Age UK Portsmouth, The Bradbury Centre, 16–18 Kingston Road, Portsmouth PO1 5RZ.

Talks about Age UK Portsmouth

If you belong to a local group, club or society whose members would like to know more about the work, services and activities provided by Age UK Portsmouth, we would be happy to arrange for a representative of our charity to come along and make a presentation at one of your meetings. For further information or to book a speaker please contact our Information & Advice Team on 023 9288 3500.