take calls 8am - 7pm, every day of the year, and provides information on topics from finances and benefits to housing and care. Here's a summary of the diverse range of calls we receive during a typical ... information guides and also provides the details of a local Age UK who can arrange an in-person benefit entitlement check. 9.15am: Lucy receives an enquiry via webchat from a woman wanting
discounted utility bills for those least able to afford them. As we emerge from an extremely difficult winter in which the cost of energy surged far above the budgets of millions of older people, Age UK continues ... and unaffordable for many. Our research earlier this year found that cost of living pressures this winter led to more than half (54%) of older people cutting back on heat and power, and more than a quarter
referred to as 'SAD') is a type of depression that occurs during particular seasons. It's more common in winter – many of us feel lower in mood and energy as we adjust to the change in seasons. Typical symptoms ... SAD, but it's thought to be linked to fewer hours of daylight and less exposure to sunlight in the winter months. It’s not unusual for older people to notice symptoms for the first time if they start
advisers answered more than 35,000 queries about finances, helping individuals access life-changing benefits they didn't know they were entitled to. You're providing expert advice With a selection of ... change and amplify older people's voices, with campaigns like our successful petition to save the Winter Fuel Payment. Together, we're determined to make the UK a better place to grow older. Your support
queries,” she explains. “It might be about needing a plumber or a gardener , or asking for benefits advice . There’s a huge variety of questions – we’ve even had calls from people ... before that I had 4 months of training, going through legal terms and subjects like social care, benefits and housing. Now I’m fully fledged! It’s the best training I’ve ever had, and
Cold Weather Payments are extra payments for people receiving certain benefits, such as Pension Credit, when there's very cold weather. If you are in hospital, you must tell the Pension Service or Jobcentre
people. But with the outbreak of coronavirus, and the risk it poses to older people making this a winter like no other before, now more than ever it’s vital Age UK is there for those with no one else ... in the line's 22-year history. So how have the challenges evolved? And how do contributions to our winter appeal help the advice line to be there for older people most in need of support? Here Roger answers
Independent and happy Lesley, one of our winter campaign storytellers, shares how Age UK has supported her to enjoy later life. Lesley, 84, has spent much of her life caring for others. Born in a small ... highlight Lesley rang the Age UK Advice Line after a neighbour suggested that she might be eligible for benefits, with the adviser she spoke to helping her to apply for Attendance Allowance . When Age UK called
this would be in the long term. In recent winters, we have heard of older people being fearful of putting their heating on due to high energy costs. This winter has been no different – 75% of people ... as ever, there is some support available. Around £2.8 billion of Pension Credit and Housing Benefit is unclaimed every year. Feedback from Age UK services providing information and advice shows that
information that's reliable and up to date and help you access the advice you need. Do you know what benefits to claim and how to claim them? Worried that you can’t afford to retire? Anxious about a planned ... advice line, talks about some of the ways her team support people in later life. Home heating help In winter, a lot of our calls are about broken boilers, people being cold, and people concerned about others