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£2 million milestone for OPAP
Published on July 13 2009
Link’s Older Person’s Advice Project (OPAP) has helped its clients claim more than £2 million in benefit income since its launch at the end of 2005.
To date, OPAP has made nearly 1250 home visits to tenants aged 60 and over, providing money and welfare rights advice and signposting services. OPAP has operated in three phases - the latest was launched in August 2008 with £315,000 from the Scottish Government (Wider Role Fund), Coalfields Regeneration Trust and funding from Falkirk Council through the Fairer Scotland Fund, Paragon HA, Abronhill HA, Wishaw and District HA, Almond HA, WESLO Housing Management and Link itself. OPAP delivers services to its own tenants and to those of these partner housing organisations.
Following the success of the project, Falkirk Council has recently provided extra funding through the Fairer Scotland Fund to cover the appointment of an additional OPAP welfare rights officer until March 2011. One couple to have benefitted from OPAP are Robert and Barbara McCaw of Glasgow, whose benefit income was increased by £12,000 a year thanks to the help and advice they received. Robert said: "We are both OAPs and did not have a clue how to go about applying for this benefit so we phoned Link's office. They came quickly to our assistance by visiting us at home and filling in all the complicated forms and made several phone calls to the right people. As a result my wife was awarded the allowance she was due." Rhona Penman, Manager of Linkwide Advice Team said: ‘The OPAP project has been a huge success not only in terms of providing substantial additional income to our clients but also by improving their welfare by addressing issues of poor health, isolation, adaptations and sourcing leisure, training and social activities. The feedback from the clients is very positive and confirms that OPAP delivers its services exactly as the people who use them want them to be.’