News and media

Older people in Scotland are missing out on £346 million a year in unclaimed support, according to new research from Independent Age and Public First. The report, Closing the take-up gap, found that £143m goes unclaimed in Pension Credit, £139m in Housing Benefit and £64m in Council Tax Reduction. The findings were covered by the Herald, the Scottish Sun and STV News.

Morgan Vine, Director of Policy, Grants and Influencing, reacts to the latest homelessness statistics in an op-ed for the Big Issue. With a record 16,440 older households facing homelessness, Morgan explains how unaffordable private renting is driving the rise and why the Government must uprate Local Housing Allowance in the Budget so it covers the cheapest 30% of rents. Read the op-ed in the Big Issue.

Independent Age launched its latest report, The only way is up. It found that full take-up of Pension Credit, pensioner Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction could lift 280,000 older people out of poverty and save the NHS and social care in England up to £950 million a year.

Morgan Vine, Director of Policy, Grants and Influencing, appeared on BBC Breakfast and Radio 4’s Money Box to discuss the findings, alongside our Media Volunteer, Valerie, who also shared her story in the i Paper. Read the coverage in the i Paper here and here and in the Express here.

Independent Age launched its latest report, Missing out on millions. One of the key findings was that only half of pensioners entitled to Council Tax Reduction are claiming the support, despite it potentially cutting an average annual bill from £2,392 to £0. You can read the story in the Mirror, the Express, and GB News.

From 1 May, the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act will strengthen protections for private renters, ending no‑fault evictions, rental discrimination and fixed‑term tenancies. Welcoming this important step towards safer, more secure and more affordable renting, a supportive statement from CEO Joanna Elson CBE appeared in over 30 national and regional outlets. You can read the story in the Independent, ITV News, and LBC.

Independent Age Chief Executive Joanna Elson CBE had an opinion piece published by Inside Housing, on the need to end the freeze to Local Housing Allowance (LHA). LHA should cover the cheapest 30% of rented homes in the local area, but, as well as being stuck at the same level since 2024, it’s been frozen for eight out of the last 15 years. The article shared recent research commissioned by Independent Age, which shows that currently, inadequate levels of LHA are pulling over 37,000 older private renters into poverty. Morgan Vine, Director of Policy, Grants and Influencing, also had an opinion piece discussing the issue published in the Big Issue.