Succession star Brian Cox is fronting a brand new marketing campaign urging older folks to verify they’ve utilized for pension credit score forward of this winter.
Mr Cox has joined forces with the group Unbiased Age to focus on the significance of making use of for the profit, forward of hundreds of thousands set to lose their Winter Gas Allowance this 12 months.
Mr Cox’s involvement within the marketing campaign comes after he used an look on Laura Kuenessberg’s Sunday politics present to blast Rachel Reeves’ merciless reduce, and demand that the federal government “Have a look at the fact!”
He’s joined by Jane Asher and Sue Holderness, who implore older Brits to verify whether or not they’re entitled to Pension Credit score earlier than December 21, the deadline for receiving Winter Gas funds.
In a press release, Mr Cox defined he was backing the essential marketing campaign amid older folks having to fret about turning their heating on, one thing that ought to’t be part of a “compassionate and simply society”.
TV star Jane Asher stated she was “astounded” to be taught that just about a million older folks could lose out on their Winter Gas Funds this 12 months.
Whereas Solely Fools and Horses Star Sue Holderness stated anybody involved ought to name Unbiased Age earlier than the deadline, who can run a free welfare verify and assist purposes for pension credit score.
Mr Cox, a proud Scot, identified that whereas 150,000 pensioners in Scotland dwell in poverty, round 90,000 older individuals are lacking out on the Pension Credit score to which they’re entitled.
He added: “It has by no means been extra essential to make sure that everybody eligible for Pension Credit score receives it.”
Joanna Elson CBE, the CEO of Unbiased Age, thanked Mr Cox, Ms Asher and Ms Holderness for becoming a member of the essential marketing campaign and shining a light-weight on Pension Credit score.
She warned: “The variety of eligible folks lacking out is way too excessive.”
“The folks we converse to are already planning to make cutbacks on heating and consuming, and going to drastic lengths corresponding to visiting public locations to remain heat. This shouldn’t be taking place, so it’s very important extra older folks on a low earnings begin receiving Pension Credit score earlier than the cutoff date, to allow them to prime up their earnings and never miss out on the following Winter Gas Fee.”
Individuals in England and Wales are entitled to Winter Gas Allowance, in the event that they had been born earlier than 23 September 1958; had been dwelling within the UK through the ‘qualifying week’ – between 16 and 22 September 2024; they usually had been entitled to get Pension Credit score or sure different means-tested advantages through the qualifying week.
Anybody who can be affected by the upcoming adjustments to Winter Gas Funds can name Unbiased Age free of charge on 0800 319 6789 for recommendation and steerage on qualifying for Pension Credit.