OAPs lose £50,000 each in unclaimed benefits

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The cash is sitting in a Government pot of £4.5billion in unclaimed benefits for the elderly, research by the London School of Economics for British Gas and Help the Aged showed.

One in three pensioners do not know who to turn to for help and need advice on how to claim their benefits, the report said. A survey of more than 1,000 over-60s found that half of those eligible for additional benefits could receive enough financial support to cover all their heating costs, which would lift them out of fuel poverty.

A household is in fuel poverty if it pays out more than ten per cent of its income on fuel.

British Gas and Help the Aged said the research supported their call for the Government to introduce automatic payment of benefits and invest more in face-toface advice programmes.

British Gas/Help the Aged Partnership spokesman Anna Pearson said: "Our recent research revealed that more than one million older people cut back on food to cover their heating costs.

"With individual pensioners possibly eligible for up to £50,000, our message to older people is - you've got to claim it to gain it."