If you are caring for an older parent, or getting older yourself, you may be missing out on money you are entitled to, and you would be far from alone. Across the UK, billions of pounds in benefits and support go unclaimed every year, often for one simple reason: the system is confusing, and very few people are ever told what they can ask for.

The numbers are striking. Up to £2.5 billion in Pension Credit goes unclaimed each year, with only around 62 in every 100 eligible pensioners actually receiving it. More than a billion pounds in Housing Benefit for pensioners sits unclaimed on top of that, and researchers estimate that somewhere between £19 billion and £24 billion in welfare support, grants and reductions goes unclaimed across the country every year.

One of the most commonly missed is Attendance Allowance. It is not means-tested, so your savings and income do not count, yet many people who would qualify never apply. At current rates it can be worth up to around £110 a week, which adds up to more than £5,700 a year. Others miss out on a Council Tax reduction, Carer’s Allowance, or a Blue Badge that would make everyday life a good deal easier.

Why do so many people go without? 

• Usually because the forms are long and daunting, 
• because people assume their income is too high to qualify, 
• or simply because they do not know the support exists. 

When you are already worried about a parent’s health, a benefits maze is the last thing you have time for.

The good news is that help is close to home. Resilient Roots, based here in Shefford, is a local service that helps older people and their families work out what they may be entitled to and, if they wish, completes the paperwork alongside them. It was founded on a simple belief: that no family should miss out on support they are owed just because the system is hard to navigate.

It is worth being clear about what this is, and what it is not. No one can guarantee the outcome of a claim, and some decisions still need a qualified solicitor or financial adviser. But knowing what to ask for, and getting the forms right the first time, can be the difference between a claim that succeeds and one that is turned down.

If you are unsure whether you or a relative might be missing out, it costs nothing to check. Often a short, friendly conversation is enough to point you in the right direction.

Get in touch through the contact page. A first chat is always free.

Jody Nason is the founder of Resilient Roots, a care navigation and benefits support service based in Shefford, Bedfordshire.