Iceland has launched a free Benefits Boost service to help shoppers aged 66 and over check and claim Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits they may be missing out on. The helpline, available at 0330 053 2617, connects callers to advisers from Kinly, a UK benefits support organisation.
The service assists with checking eligibility and completing application forms. Users have seen an average annual increase of around £5,000. Iceland estimates over 7,500 people will benefit, potentially unlocking more than £37 million in additional income.
Government figures show only 62% of those entitled to Pension Credit received it last year, with 80% of older people citing the application process as the main barrier. Richard Walker, Executive Chairman of Iceland Foods, said: 'Benefits Boost is about making it easier for older customers to check, get help with the process, and claim what may already be theirs.'
The initiative is backed by a £1.8 million commitment from the Rothesay Foundation. Tallulah Woods, Campaigns Manager at the foundation, said: 'Too many older people are missing out on financial support... This partnership is designed to make it easier for people to understand what they may be entitled to and get help claiming it.'
