Get the government to pay your insurance

Pensioners unable to afford home contents insurance may be missing out on more than the cost of their premiums because they did not ask for government help, Age Concern has found.

More than two million over 60s failed to claim £4.5 billion of benefits that were due to them because they failed to fill out a form.

Thelma Daniels, a widow from south London, told the Daily Mirror: "I'd just lose everything if I were burgled."

Anna Pearson, from the charity 'Help the Aged', says: "The system needs to be simplified so that benefits are paid automatically to pensioners without them needing to fill in a form.

"People over 65 are potentially entitled to 16 benefits with 36 links between them."

Age Concern has found that as many as six out of ten low-income pensioners have not yet managed to complete the application process since pension credit was introduced four years ago.

15/11/2007 12:47:54