Older people in poverty need your help this winter

Independent Age is organizing this fundraiser to benefit Independent Age.

Freezing, forgotten, and left out in the cold. This is the bleak reality for many older people this winter, who will not be able to switch the heating on, even on the coldest days.

One in six older people live in poverty. They are already barely managing to get by, eating one meal a day, washing in cold water and avoiding seeing friends and family.

The recent changes to Winter Fuel Payment means we are facing a crisis this winter. Since the announcement, phone calls to Independent Age's Helpline about Pension Credit and Winter Fuel Payment worries have more than trebled.

Paula told us recently: “That Winter Fuel Payment was vital for me to get through the winter. Without it, I will have to choose, eat or heat. I have to eat to stay alive so I’ll have to keep the heating off and wear layers of clothes, but I might get hypothermia this winter and die. It’s a pretty grim situation to be in”.

You can help older people like Paula, get access to vital advice and support unlocking life-changing benefits, which will enable her to stay warm this winter.

Give now to ensure older people are not left out in the cold this Winter.

£5 helps fund a web chat with an older person who needs urgent advice
£10 ensures ten guides can be sent to ten older people to help them apply for Pension Credit and access the Winter Fuel Payment
£28 helps an older person needing information and support speak to a Helpline advisor
£115 means an older person can get in-depth advice from a caseworker

Your support can transform lives like Yvonne's.

“I feel like I’ve gone back to my childhood, post-war, living in a cold house with no food. I’ve cut down from three meals a day to one. What quality of life is this? Sometimes I sit here and cry. I don’t think I can endure much more”.

You can get information and support from Independent Age by:

Calling our Helpline: 08003196789

Going to our website to find support and information

Or use the form on Independent Age Winter Appeal - GoFundMe(UK) to ask for support.

Watch this video to find out more about Pension Credit

Independent Age is the national charity which is solely focused on improving the lives of older people in poverty. We offer free impartial advice and information and grants for community organisations. We use the knowledge and understanding gained from our frontline services to highlight the issues experienced by older people who are facing financial insecurity and to campaign for change. We believe no one should face financial hardship in later life.

Together, we can ensure that no older person is left to face the cold alone. Donate now to make a life-changing difference this winter.