Age UK North Cumbria Age UK North Cumbria is the largest voluntary sector organisation supporting older people in the area. Its mission is to promote the contributions older people make to society and to further their interests. CEO Alison Ambrose explained that the organisation “works with and for older people across North Cumbria to help make later life a fulfilling and enjoyable experience”. The charity delivers a comprehensive range of services to help older people retain independence at home and promote physical and mental health and wellbeing. Each year, in the Carlisle and Eden districts alone, it works with more than 4,000 older people, supported by more than 100 volunteers who give more than 20,000 hours a year. Alison said: “Our work focusses on addressing the major obstacles people face in enjoying later life: poverty, social isolation and ill health. Our diverse area includes the city of Carlisle and also rural districts which results in a variety of issues and needs. We deliver a range of services to create social and financial inclusion opportunities to improve health and wellbeing.” As part of its package of support to older people, Age UK North Cumbria runs the Well@Home project which helps people discharge safely from hospital and remain independent in their own homes, helping to prevent readmissions. The organisation also works with Cumbria Community Foundation to distribute grants through the Winter Warmth Fund partnership agreement. Those grants help older people pay fuel bills and avoid having to choose between heating and eating. Alison said: One of the grant recipients was Sandra Parker, of Carlisle, who said: “It was really helpful; very, very useful for me. Without it I would have been struggling – not just with the heating, but with life in general. It just made a real difference for me." CASE STUDY Nationally, estimates suggest 850,000 eligible pensioners are not claiming their Pension Credit entitlements. For Cumberland, this translates into a potential loss of approximately £7,680,576 in Pension Credit payments.30 In 2022/2023, 22,737 older people in Carlisle received the Winter Fuel Payment, with 3,790 of them being aged 80 or older.31 Changes to the payment in England and Wales last winter meant only those receiving Pension Credit or other means-tested benefits were eligible. This year, anyone over State Pension age with an income below £35,000 will be eligible. Our service is there because there's no family network or the families are not in the area, or the family has their own conditions. A lot are living in unsuitable living conditions. Finance is a huge problem at the moment. Voluntary Sector Representative DIGITAL INEQUALITIES During the COVID-19 pandemic, digital technology became a crucial lifeline for older people, enabling them to stay connected with family and access essential services. However, post-pandemic digital inequalities are visible, particularly where services have moved online and require more advanced technologies. Older individuals are also increasingly vulnerable to fraud scams, including those conducted online or via phone. Data from Action Fraud32 reveals that £1.7 billion has been lost to fraud over the past four years by people aged 65 and over across the UK. I think the biggest complaint we get is access to a GP. It's just not simple anymore, especially for vulnerable people. When GPs are wanting to do these e-consults, some vulnerable people don’t actually have the digital skills to do that. Voluntary Sector Representative 19Health Survey for England, 2021 part 2, Loneliness and Wellbeing: Office for National Statistics, 2021, https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/healthsurvey-for-england/2021-part-2/loneliness-and-wellbeing 20The question asked was “Which three things would you like to see improve in Carlisle district? (Tick up to three)” One response that could be ticked was Opportunities for Older People. 21Healthy Ageing in Carlisle – A Baseline for Becoming Age Friendly: Cumbria County Council, 2022 22Department of Health and Social Care, Fingertips Public Health Profiles: https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/life%20expectancy%20at%20birth#page/1/gid/1/pat/6/ati/401/are/ E07000028/iid/90362/age/1/sex/1/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/3/cid/4/tbm/1 23Local Insight, Census 2021: Proportion of residents aged 65+ with a limiting long-term illness. Based on a self-assessment whether or not a person has a limiting long-term illness, health problem or disability which limits their daily activities or the work they can do, including problems that are due to old age, https://localinsight.org/ 24Local Insight, Census 2021: Proportion of people over the age of 65 that reported to have not good health. Figures are self-reported. https://localinsight.org/ 25Dementia: Recorded prevalence (aged 65 years and over) indicator quantifies the proportion aged 65+ with a recorded diagnosis of dementia. 26Dementia Profile: Fingertips Public Health Data, Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/dementia/data#page/1/gid/1938133052/pat/6/ ati/402/are/E10000006/iid/91891/age/27/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1 27https://legacy.cumberland.gov.uk/elibrary/Content/Internet/327/6548/45012152556.pdf 28UK Poverty 2024: The Essential Guide to Understanding Poverty in the UK: Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2024. 29% of Pension Credit claimants, % of all pensioners, Local Insight, August 2024, https://localinsight.org/ 30https://policyinpractice.co.uk/2024-unclaimed-pension-credit-value-by-local-authority/#table 31https://britishgasenergytrust.org.uk/news-research/changes-to-winter-fuel-payment 32The figures were revealed through a Freedom of Information request by the Liberal Democrats to Action Fraud, covering all fraud cases where the victim was 65 or older over the past four years, https://www.moneywellness.com/blog/elderly-fraud-victims-losing-ps1-million-a-day-liberal-democrats-reveal Sandra Parker, of Carlisle, received a grant from the Winter Warmth Fund, which is managed by Age UK North Cumbria Administering and distributing Winter Warmth grants gives us an opportunity to assess what other needs older people may have and helps us engage them with wider support. 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