Care home residents 'losing will to live' amid Covid restrictions in England

Following the launch of our renewed focus on financial hardship Independent Age received over 320 media mentions in print and online. We also had 1,450 broadcast mentions across 369 stations with a reach of more than 16 million as a result of a radio day organised with several key IA spokespeople and media volunteers. National coverage highlights include Times Radio, LBC, the Daily Record and Daily Mail online. You can read our press release here.

Charity news outlets covered the announcement of Independent Age's new CEO  - Joanna Elson CBE. She will be joining IA in September after 17 years at the debt advice charity the Money Advice Trust. With a strong track record in working with people struggling with their finances, Joanna is well placed to lead Independent Age as it moves into the poverty space. You can read our full press release here.

As part of our Older People's Commissioner campaign in Scotland the IA made efforts to secure Scottish celebrity support. The campaign got endorsement from Singer Barbara Dickson OBE and the actors Gregor Fisher and Barbara Rafferty. The article includes quotes from the celebrities voicing their support for IA's campaign and an extended comment from Debbie Horne, Scottish Public Affairs and Policy Manager. The story has since been picked up by several regional Scottish print newspapers.

Following the broadcast of Britain's Forgotten Pensioners: Dispatches, The Mirror ran a story focusing on a study carried out by National Energy Action for the Dispatches probe. The research found three in five over-65s used their heating less than usual - and one in five went to bed early to stay warm last winter. IA's John Palmer was the lead quote in the article. You can read the story in full here.

Britain's Forgotten Pensioners: Dispatches, follows three sets of pensioners across the winter months of 2022 and 2023, as cold snaps combined with high heating and electricity bills make life uncomfortable, lonely and dangerous. The documentary makers worked with IA to use recordings of the IA helpline to illustrate the issues faced by older people. You can read John Palmer's statement about the show here.

The IA media team put forward an older person in financial hardship who could speak about their experience for the i News 'How I Manage My Money' series. IA case study Yvonne gave a brilliant interview, detailing her monthly expenses and what it was like to both grow up in financial hardship and have low income in retirement. She calls for a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing in England and talks about campaigning for Pension Credit awareness. You can read the full story here.

Research commissioned by smart home security company, Ring, found 21 percent of the population know someone who had been the victim of an attempted scam or suspected scam in the last 12 months. Elderly parents (38 percent) and elderly neighbours (26 percent) are the groups adults are most worried about falling victim to a doorstep scam. The article mentions Independent Age's scam advice and directs people to our website. The story has featured in over 35 regional outlets, the Mirror and the Express.

Independent Age media volunteer, Thabani, spoke to The Sun about the impact Pension Credit has had on her life. She discusses how Independent Age helped her not only apply for Pension Credit , but also made her aware of her eligibility for Attendance Allowance, further boosting her income. The article includes links to our website, our Helpline number and encourages people to get in touch if they think they might be eligible. Read the full story here.