25 January 2005 - £13 million Pension Service Partnership Fund launched by Wicks
A new £13 million fund, which will finance local initiatives to improve take-up of older people’s benefits – particularly those in hard to reach groups – has been launched today by Pensions Minister, Malcolm Wicks.
Speaking at the launch event at the Royal National Institute of the Blind, Malcolm Wicks, Minister for Pensions, said:
“The new fund will allow a mighty coalition of organisations – large and small, voluntary and statutory – to deliver extra help to hard pressed pensioners.
“Through this initiative we will be unleashing a diverse army of health visitors, doctors' receptionists, local authority staff and countless volunteers in communities to ensure the message gets to those who need to hear it most.
“We are determined that a benefit entitlement on paper should become money in the pocket and the new partnership fund will help this happen.”
Part of the Government’s Link-Age strategy, the Pension Service Partnership Fund will provide up to two years’ funding to around 170 organisations across Great Britain. These include charities, local authorities, housing associations, NHS Primary Care Trusts, disability and carers groups – all of which will deliver schemes of their own, designed to enrich older people’s lives.
The Fund was launched at the Headquarters of the Royal National Institute of the Blind, which is running one of the successful initiatives due to receive funding.
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has provided £1.73 million for the Fund that will be used to target areas of rural deprivation.
Alun Michael, Minister for Rural Affairs, said:
"This government has made great strides in helping those who are in most need of help - the young, the old or the infirm.
"A lot of that work has been focused in urban areas but it is important to recognise that there are people living in poverty - often less visible - in many rural areas.
"This fund allows Defra to play its part in helping target help for those most in need - in this case pensioners.
"Organisations like the Citizens Advice Bureau and Help the Aged have an important part to play in getting our message across - that there is help available if people are able to come forward and claim what is rightly theirs."
A full list of successful applicants is available on www.thepensionservice.gov.uk
Notes for editors
- Applications to the Fund were invited through national and specialised press advertisements from 1 March 2004.
- The closing date for applications was 30 June 2004. There were 740 applications received.
- The aims of the Fund were developed in consultation with members of the DWP Partnerships Against Poverty group, a joint forum which includes national representatives from organisations such as Help the Aged, Age Concern and the Local Government Association.
- The Link-Age programme is about providing a 21st century service to our older people. It aims to integrate joint working between partners so that older people are provided with a more cohesive front-line service.
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