“There was always the two of us. Now I’m on my own.”

When the happiest days become the hardest, your support can help Age UK be there for older people like Terry.

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£100 could pay to answer 20 calls to our advice line, supporting older people on their hardest days.

£200 could help pay towards training volunteers to make life-changing regular friendship calls.

£300 could help pay for more than a year of telephone friendship calls for a lonely older person.

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Your donation could help pay for free information guides and factsheets for an older person and their loved ones.

Too many older people are facing a difficult Christmas.

Terry, 80, was married to his wife Glenda for 56 years.The couple loved making new friends, and hosting their loved ones for big Christmas celebrations.

But since Glenda’s death, Terry has struggled on his own.

Glenda took care of the household finances, so Terry became very worried about money and whether he could afford to keep warm during winter. “I feel the cold an awful lot,” says Terry. “But everyone was scaremongering about how gas and electric bills were going to go through the roof – it worries you.”

He also felt increasingly lonely and sad in a house where his wife’s presence is still everywhere. Last year, he simply couldn’t face Christmas and spent the day alone. “I’ll suddenly look around and realise she isn’t there,” says Terry. 

1.6 million

older people said they could not afford Christmas last year

1 in 5

disadvantaged older people told us they skipped meals last winter

You could help us continue to provide essential services that change people’s lives – like we have for Terry.

After Terry called the Age UK Advice Line, we were able to help him apply for Attendance Allowance, a benefit he was entitled to, as well as helping him get a Blue Badge for parking.

We also matched Terry with a befriender, Jade, for a weekly chat as part of the Age UK Telephone Friendship Service. The pair enjoy discussing antiques – something Terry and Glenda used to love.

Your donation today can help make sure we’re there for older people with no one else to turn to.

Will you help us be there for older people facing another Christmas alone?

Age UK know what to do when someone needs our support. We are here to listen, provide expert advice and offer meaningful friendship when it’s needed most. Our lines are open 365 days a year – even on Christmas Day.

Thanks to our supporters, in 2022:

205,934 calls

were answered by our advice line – and 52,150 of those enquiries were about benefits

94% of older people

said their wellbeing had improved since they started receiving friendship calls

Please help us keep our vital telephone services open, so we can support everyone who needs us through their hardest days and every day.

Thank you.

We're here for everyone who needs us

If you or someone you know needs support, Age UK is here for you. Call the Age UK Advice Line on 0800 169 6565, 8am to 7pm, every day of the year, or use the links below to find out more about how we could help.

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Age UK provides a range of services and your gift will go wherever the need is greatest.