Act Now: Winter Pressures

By Sue Mosley, Deputy CEO and Director of Income Generation, Marketing and Engagement at Age UK WMHL

As we prepare ourselves for the impact of the changes to the winter fuel payment scheme, the team at Age UK Worcester, Malvern Hills & Hereford Localities is ready to support those concerned about the potential challenges facing them in the winter months.

It is estimated that there may be more than 800,00 households eligible to claim pension credit who haven’t done so, leaving them in a vulnerable position with potential risk to their financial, physical and mental wellbeing.

I have visited a number of groups over the past few weeks, many of whom know of at least one other person who may be eligible for pension credit but were either not aware that they could apply for it or who felt that they couldn’t apply due to the stigma of ‘being on benefits’. Now is the time to act.

If you think you may be eligible, use the free Age UK benefits calculator on our national website or if you need additional support, your local Age UK (that’s us!) can support you with a range of services to ensure that you receive the appropriate information and support to improve and sustain your quality of life.

We have a team of home energy checkers who will come to your home and carry out a free basic energy efficiency survey, supporting with the installation of simple energy-saving measures and always happy to chat about any other issues that may be of concern. Our holistic approach includes working with other organisations to ensure that each person approaching us for support gets everything they need to be able to make informed decisions to enable them to live independent, safe lives — to thrive and not just exist.

People are at the very heart of everything we do and every week I am humbled by the support we get from the community to enable us to deliver our services. Last week I spent some time with one of our groups who meet each month to socialise and take part in a range of activities.

They meet in a local café who generously move tables around to accommodate us and encourage other customers to join in. Our staff and volunteers are committed to supporting those who may feel unsure about how to get support, who may feel anxious about asking for help and are often the reason we are approached for information and advice on benefits.

Now more than ever, we need to support those who are concerned about coping with the challenges of winter pressures.