Benefits advice could be just the medicine for older patients

By Tony Watts - Editor - 02/06/2008

Welfare benefits advice could be just the medicine for millions of older patients, according to a new report by Age Concern. Yet despite growing evidence that claiming benefits can improve health and wellbeing, new evidence shows that the vast majority of GP practices in England are not linked to a benefits advice service.
 
Published on 30 May, the charity’s report "Just what the doctor ordered" reveals that an extra £58 million in money benefits was claimed in 2006 as a result of people receiving benefits advice in healthcare settings – despite only one in 10 GP surgeries being linked to a welfare benefits advice service. The charity also found that:
 
• those working in advice services thought links with healthcare professionals enabled them to provide a more rounded service to their clients;

 

• those working in healthcare services felt that links with advice services added value and could also reduce demand for health services;

 

• advice services with stable funding noted that links with health services had contributed to the stability;

 

• Citizens Advice currently provides 523 GP-linked benefits advice services1 but reported that provision has dropped by a third since 2005;

 

• secure funding and strong links with healthcare professionals and GP practice managers are essential ingredients for a successful Information and Advice service.
 
Despite major efforts to increase benefit take-up, some of the poorest and most vulnerable pensioners are still missing out on their share of up to £4.6 billion in unclaimed benefits cash, often because they don’t realise they are entitled to it. Yet the vast majority of these people are in regular contact with public services – on average people over 65 visit their GP seven times a year – and could reap the benefit if offered advice in a healthcare setting.
 
Many older people find that claiming benefits dramatically improves their living standards and report greater levels of independence, dignity and participation. There is also a growing body of evidence which suggests that having a higher income as a result of benefits advice in a healthcare setting can lead to a significant improvement in functioning measures such as vitality, mental health, general health, pain tolerance and emotions.  
 
Age Concern is calling on central and local government, Primary Care Trusts, and others, to take a more holistic approach to improving the quality of life for older people. Prioritising the funding of benefits advice services could not only help individual older people but ultimately reduce demand for local healthcare services.
 
Gordon Lishman, Director General, Age Concern, said: “The links between poverty and ill health are well established yet many policymakers fail to take a holistic approach to tackling these issues. Offering benefits advice in a healthcare setting is a sure-fire way to reach millions of older people who may not realise they are entitled to benefits cash. We urgently need a national strategy to look at the delivery and funding of independent advice provision, to ensure it fully meets the needs of all older people.”
 
Jackie Nowell, Head of National Partnership Development Team, Citizens Advice, said: “The Citizens Advice service welcomes this report as it highlights what our bureaux have long recognised – that good health and well-being is not just a clinical matter, but can be seriously affected by problems in peoples' lives that the health service cannot tackle – housing problems, difficulties accessing the benefits system, debt, family problems and much more.

 

"We have advocated for 'Prescribing Advice' to be part of a GP's armoury. Those bureaux working closely with GPs and PCTs on the ground have good evidence that their advice and support is crucial in improving outcomes for peoples' health. We believe every GP should be prescribing advice and that funding for these services is not only cost-effective but also links health services into wider community facilities and resources.”