Regenda's Wirral pensioners urged not to miss out on pension credits

Pensioners across Wirral are being urged to apply for pension credits as part of a Government campaign.
Wallasey MP Angela Eagle, Minister of State for Pensions, attended a benefits advice session being run by the Pension Local Service for the residents of Maritime Grange, a Regenda Group supported housing complex in Seacombe, as part of a benefits advice day to launch the awareness campaign.
Jane McCoy, Scheme Manager at Maritime Grange said, “The Regenda Group and its staff at Maritime Grange are proud to support the pension credit campaign. We feel it is absolutely vital that our elderly residents are fully aware what benefits they are entitled to and that they take the support that is on offer to them.”
A partnership between the Pension Local Service - an arm of The Department for Work and Pensions - Age Concern, National Market Traders Association, Merseytravel and Mecca Bingo, the aim of the campaign is to encourage the over 60s across Merseyside to find out what benefits they are entitled to.
Miss Eagle said: "I'm trying to increase the level of claims for pension credit so that another £1.5m of money will be paid to local pensioners.
"We've done this in the Northeast and we exceeded our target by 50 per cent, so I'm naturally hoping that we can do even better in my own region.
"At the moment, three million people in the country get pension credit, which is why we've been able to take a million out of poverty."
"We know that for younger pensioners, a maximum of about 30 per cent who are entitled don't claim."
After visiting the Maritime Grange scheme, Miss Eagle went on to meet elderly shoppers at Birkenhead Market to raise awareness of the campaign.