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23-Jul-08 10:15 [Pensions]
Pensioners missing out on benefits Confusion regarding the benefits system is keeping many pensioners from claiming what is rightfully theirs, it has emerged.
Research by charity Age Concern revealed that six out of ten lower-income pensioners are dissuaded from claiming benefits due to the complex nature of the system, with 48 per cent confused by form-filling and nearly half finding means-testing too intrusive.
Age Concern revealed that, as a result, up to £2.5 billion is left unclaimed every year.
Director general of Age Concern Gordon Lishman has urged those living on a limit to see which benefits are available for them.
He said: "Many pensioners are put off claiming benefits because they find the system confusing. Yet this is money that is rightfully theirs and, if claimed, could make a big difference to their weekly income."
A report released by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation at the beginning of this month found that, on average, pensioners needed £201 a week to maintain a minimum standard of living.
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