Michael Eastick, 73, was struggling with anxiety and depression when he contacted Money Wellness and discovered he was missing out on £200 a month in Housing Benefit
A pensioner has shared how he turned to a local charity for help amid money worries and emerged £2,000 better off.
Over three million households in the UK are feeling the pinch due to welfare changes, yet an eye-watering £23 billion of Government support goes unclaimed annually. It’s crucial to make sure you’re not overlooking any entitlements from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Michael, 73, Eastick found himself over £2,000 richer each year after a local charity stepped in to assist with untapped benefits.
Struggling with anxiety and depression, Mr. Eastick turned to Money Wellness for guidance amid financial stress. His experience is no outlier; many face hurdles when it comes to navigating DWP claims, he expressed: “I was really out of sorts last year, suffering from anxiety and worry about filling out the form – it was an obstacle. It was a really bad time for me – I was anxious and depressed.”
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The stats are staggering; around 8.4 million people might be overlooking an average of £2,700 per year in benefits and assistance they’re entitled to. For Eastick, it was Housing Benefit he hadn’t claimed, a revelation that has significantly eased his financial burdens and lifted his spirits.
“The housing benefit made a huge difference and the extra money has relieved my depression and I feel much better,” said Michael. “I can now manage things more effectively and have returned to activities I enjoy.”, reports the Mirror.
Michael, a pensioner struggling with mental health issues, found the complex forms to be a significant hurdle he couldn’t tackle alone.
“Under normal circumstances, this would have been something I could have handled years ago, but my mental health made it impossible. It caused me anxiety, but Money Wellness and Age UK gave me the confidence and support to fill out the online forms.”
Money Wellness is commissioned by the government’s Money and Pensions Service to offer free advice on saving money, debt, and benefits.
Last year, advisors assisted over 300,000 people with energy grants and benefit applications. In Michael’s case, they discovered he was eligible for £192 a month in Housing Benefit.
Approximately 1.8 million people are supplementing their household income with some form of benefit. However, with £32bn in financial aid unclaimed last year, many more are missing out on a boost that could help with escalating living costs.
“We completed over 20,000 benefit assessments last year and achieved a £45million uplift,” a spokesperson for the charity stated. “On average last month, people we assessed received an additional £250 or £3,000 a year.
“We can help people over the phone or online – no matter where they are in the country – and have a free online benefit checker at www.moneywellness.com.”
