|
Welfare Benefits Take-up for people 60 and over
The Welfare Benefits 60 and over Take-up Campaign has been running for the past 12 months in raising awareness and promoting benefits to people 60 and over. It has generated a minimum of £300,000 to-date. The project has identified many people from hard to reach; housebound and isolated to claim their benefit entitlements. The Welfare Benefit 60 and Over take-up Officer has been working in partnership with organisations like Carers Gloucestershire, Age Concern, Gloucestershire Deaf Association, Gloucester City Homes, Warm and Well etc to help people 60 and over.
The project has employed 4 support workers from the following communities: African-Caribbean, Indian, Bangladeshi and Chinese. All 4 workers have been actively working in their communities to help people with completing forms, giving advice and setting up local events and talks. The Pension Service has called this an innovative idea and has praised the work that is being done in the Gloucester community. The Welfare Benefit 60 and Over take-up Officer has been supporting the Support workers in their role and has been busy promoting events to the 60 and over.
The Benefits that we can help with are Attendance Allowance, Carers Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Housing/Council Tax Benefit and Pension Credit. We also offer confidential Benefit Health Checks in making sure that the 60 and over are getting all their entitlements.
The Welfare Benefits take-up has also been doing some work in the Cheltenham area and has identified a hard to reach group that has been isolated for many years. We are now able to access this group and have been helping people with completing forms and giving advice.
The project has also run a serious of events from the Eastgate Mall, Gloucester to let residents know what they can claim and also having other organisations there to give information on crime, heating etc.
The Welfare Benefits 60 and Over take-up Campaign runs a Benefits Advice Surgery every Wednesdays between 10.00 am - 12.00 pm at:
Gloucester City Council Offices,
Ground Floor,
Herbert Warehouse,
The Docks,
Gloucester
GL1 2EQ
Appointments not needed.
Or contact the Welfare Benefits 60 and Over Take-up Officer on Gloucester (01452) 396971 or e-mail: welfare.benefits@gloucester.gov.uk
Last Updated: 31/08/06
|