Age UK urges Bradford elderly to apply for more help with bills

A charity has urged elderly people to consider applying for pension credit in order to claim the winter fuel payment this year.

Age UK's Bradford branch said its service users faced "unprecedented challenges" this winter.

The winter fuel payment was previously paid to all pensioners to help with energy bills but in July, the government said it would become means-tested and made only to those on low incomes or certain benefits.

Mark Rounding, of Age UK in Bradford, said there had been a "huge uptake" in the organisation's services.

He added: "We are bracing ourselves for a busy winter period.

"There are 12,500 people in Bradford district alone who do not claim pension credit, which would give them the right to claim the winter fuel allowance."

He said it was often "pride" preventing people from claiming and urged people to ask their elderly relatives and neighbours if they know if they were eligible.

"It is really scary for older people," Mr Rounding said.

He added that many people in the area were forced to choose between heating their homes or buying food.

"These decisions put older residents at a greater risk of cold-related illnesses, including heart attacks, strokes, and respiratory problems," he said.

"I visit our Age UK hubs where usually people talk about the weather and so on but it's amazing the anger and strength of feeling people have about the winter fuel payment."

The charity said overall it had seen a 227% increase in the numbers asking for help accessing pension credit by the deadline for eligibility for the fuel allowance of 21 December.

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