More Money in Your Pocket

More Money in Your Pocket is our new 'does what it says on the tin' campaign to help older people claim their rightful benefits.

The cost of living keeps going up all the time making it harder for pensioners to make ends meet. Despite this, it is estimated that £4.6 billion in benefits go unclaimed by older people every year.

Age Concern Scotland is working in partnership with Age Concern England on this campaign, building on last year's success where, as a result of the Your Rights campaign, older people claimed over £100 million (at least!) in money benefits.

The campaign will involve a year-long calendar of activity with a focus on a benefit or set of benefits every two months. The focus for April/May is Council Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit.

Council Tax Benefit is the least claimed benefit by older people, with almost 50% of those entitled to claim (up to 2.2 million pensioners) missing out. Claiming could reduce the council tax bill of eligible pensioners by an average £645 a year.

It is estimated that a further 310,000 older people who are renting are not claiming Housing Benefit that could reduce their average rent bill by £35 a week.

The campaign will encourage older people and their friends and relatives to come forward for a free benefits check which may result in extra income that could transform their lives.

Benefits Calculator

Check your benefit entitlements online here!

Campaign Materials

You can download our campaign materials in pdf format from this page. Alternatively, if you'd like hard copies sent out, you can email claire.murray@acscot.org.uk, specifying which materials you'd like to recieve.