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Link extends Welfare Advice Service for Older People
Published on February 28 2007
Linkwide - part of the Link Group - has expanded its unique welfare rights advice service for older people into Edinburgh, Fife and the Lothians, thanks to grant support from Communities Scotland, Dunedin Canmore Housing Association and Link Housing Association.
In an effort to tackle the problem of low take-up by older people of their benefit entitlement, the Older Persons' Advice Service (OPAP) provides personalised support to help with housing related benefits claims. The service was initially launched in 2005, funded by Department for Work and Pensions. During its first two years it was successful in raising more than £0.75 million of benefit income for older people living mainly in Central Scotland. The new funding, which runs until March 2008, will enable OPAP to expand into Edinburgh, Fife and the Lothians, helping to ensure more than 500 older people in the three areas receive all of their benefit entitlement.
Recent estimates highlighted that four out of ten Scottish pensioners are losing out on about £500 each year with approximately 218,000 older people failing to claim council tax benefit*. Housing Associations and other Registered Social Landlords are particularly affected by this because significant numbers of their socially renting customers are on low incomes, elderly, living alone and/or experiencing mental health issues and may have difficulty paying their rent without assistance to maximise their incomes. Brenda Higgins said: "OPAP's initial success over the past two years has given a clear indication that an advice service for older people can be hugely effective in helping them claim the benefits to which they are entitled.
Thanks to further funding, OPAP can increase its reach, helping even more people across a wider geographical area." Anyone living in Edinburgh, Fife and the Lothians who would like to know more about OPAP can call the team on 0845 140 0008.