Avenue: Winter fuel increase welcomed by Southwark charity
Thursday, 13, Mar 2008 12:00
Avenues’ Southwark Home Care, a social care charity, welcomed yesterday’s budget announcement that winter fuel payments would be increased for the elderly. However, the charity believes more could be done to encourage older people to make best use of these payments.
Southwark Home Care supports over 400 people in the London borough of Southwark, 85% of whom are older and physically frail, and 50% of whom are aged 90 or over.
Southwark Home Care service manager Sharon Evans, said, “The announcement in yesterday’s budget that winter fuel payments would increase by £50 for those over 60, and by £100 for those over 80 will be welcomed by many of the people we support.
“The winter fuel payments are often essential for a number of our clients. However, more needs to be done to encourage older people to use their payments for heating. A few people that we support do not always make best use of the payments, believing that they’ve ‘managed in the past’. Some people do not realise how much the cold can affect their health – the message still hasn’t got through.”
Ends.
For further information, please contact:
Sue Lea, Communications Coordinator
Tel: 020 8308 2925 Email: susan.lea@theavenuestrust.co.uk
Sharon Evans, Service Manager
Tel: 020 7740 9777 Email: sharon.evans@southwarkhomecare.org.uk
Notes To Editors
Southwark Home Care is a registered charity and part of Avenues.
Avenues provides professional, not-for-profit support services for people with complex or challenging needs, including physical disabilities, mental health issues, learning disabilities and autism. We offer tailored support, including residential services, so that individuals can enjoy their lives within their communities.
We employ over 900 staff to support over 800 people in London, Cambridge and the south east. For more information visit: ,a href="http://www.theavenuestrust.co.uk" target="_blank">www.theavenuestrust.co.uk
Registered charity number: 1076576
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