People over 50 urged to phone charity to get instant help checking for unclaimed benefits before winter

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A Scottish charity is urging older people to contact them to check they are not missing out on any unclaimed benefits or reductions in Council Tax.

New research from Age Scotland has revealed a substantial increase in the number of older people facing financial hardship. The charity’s ‘Big Survey’ publication, which aims to improve the lives of adults over the age of 50, found that 41 per cent of people are feeling the financial strain of the cost of living with a further 35 per cent expecting that to continue into next year.The Big Survey aims to capture the views and experiences of people over the age of 50, identify the challenges older people face in Scotland today, and broadly track how lives have changed over time.

It explores a wide range of topics including health and wellbeing, the workplace, finances, social issues, social care, transport, community and housing, the use of technology, social security, and planning for the future.The survey was completed by more than 4,100 people aged over 50, spanning every local authority area in Scotland.

Some 97 per cent of respondents who said they are struggling financially cited energy bills as the biggest factor. Some 76 per cent said they were struggling to afford food bills, while 62 per cent said Council Tax was a key issue - an increase from 46 per cent in the 2021 survey.Eight in 10 over 50s claimed they had cut back on energy and heating, with just over half (55%) stating they had cut back on holidays.