Worries about reputation a barrier to help for older people, charity says
Age UK West Sussex, Brighton and Hove helped callers access a
Last updated 19th Apr 2026
Age UK West Sussex, Brighton and Hove says worries about reputation can be a barrier for older people asking for vital support.
It's after the charity helped callers access a record number of financial help - yet warned more people are reaching out worried about affording basic heating and eating.
David Barnham, from the charity, explained:
"A lot of older people are less willing to go out and try.
"There's a lot of people who don't know which way to turn and I think when you have a charity like ours, who's there specifically to help the older generation, I think people can feel comfortable to reach out to us.
"Whereas I think sometimes it feels like there's a lot of red tape out there." Between 2025 and 2026, the charity’s Information & Advice team helped 1,547 older people access a combined total of £6.5 million in benefits, grants and discounts - an average of £4,255 per person.
The amount is £1.7 million more than the year before.
"Some days we're actually unable to answer about 1/4 of our calls, which is which is a real shame," David continued.
"I think there's a lot of people out there who are worried about the future, with bills continuing to rise.
"So the more support we can give, the more we can help people, all the better."