Statement of Service & Service Strategy
Information & Advice Service including Welfare Rights Service &
Housing and Social Care Options Advice Service
Aim of Age UK Northumberland
The aim of Age UK Northumberland (AUKN) is to improve the lives of
older people over the age of 50. AUKN raises awareness of its work
with people over the age of 50 throughout the County, with a view to
engaging them in its activities both as supporters of, and participants in,
the provision of its services and the development of its resources. It
provides support for the most vulnerable older members of the
community, taking into account the changing nature of the population. It
addresses the diverse aspirations, expectations and needs of older
people and campaigns on their behalf. It works to influence policy
makers in the region on issues relating to older people.
Background
AUKN was formed in 1955 and is a registered charity and a company
limited by guarantee. Age UK Northumberland (AUKN) is a stand-alone
charity and partner of Age UK. AUKN employs approximately 310 staff
and is assisted by some 440 volunteers. The organisation is managed
on a day to day basis by its Chief Executive who reports to a Board of
Trustees which sets the policy and direction of the organisation in
consultation with the local community.
Northumberland is a large sparsely populated rural county with urban
areas in the south east that have higher than average deprivation in
relation to income; physical and mental health. It has one of the fastestageing populations in the country.
Northumberland is home to 312,000 people and covers an area 5013
km², of which 96.7% is classed as rural. 49% of the population live in
rural areas compared to the North East (18.8%) and England (18.9%).
51% of the population live in the 3% of urban land based mainly in the
C/I&A team/casework policies and procedures/Statement of Service
Last Updated: August 2013
South East of the county. The county is sparsely populated with 62
people per km² (North East 304 and England 401 (2010).
In mid-2009 in Northumberland, 302,100 residents (97.1 %) were White
compared to 94.7% in the North East and 87.5% in England. In
Northumberland there were 9,000 residents classed as Non-White, and
the greatest number of these was Asian or Asian British (1.2%)
compared to North East which has a proportion of 2.7%.
Northumberland’s largest ethnic population is white minority ethnic
groups such as white Irish and includes a relatively large population of
Gypsies/Travellers.
Information & Advice Service’s current services
I&A Telephone Advice Line
AUKN provides free confidential, impartial and independent advice for
the over 50s, their families, carers and organisations working with them
across a wide range of subjects. The service is managed by the parttime I&A Manager and comprises a part time administrator and nine
volunteers. The service receives some core funding from AUKN.
The telephone advice service is open Monday to Thursday from 10am to
1pm and provides advice and information on the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Welfare Benefits, Grants & Entitlements
Community, Residential & Social Care
Housing & Home adaptations
Disability Issues & Aids
Local leisure, Health and Educational Activities
Wills, Powers of Attorney, Family Protection Trusts
Local Trader Register
In 2012-313 of 2926 inquires to the Information & Advice Telephone Line
47% concerned welfare benefits; 10% social and community care
issues; and 7% housing issues.
Welfare Rights Service
In response to local need, in July 2010 we set up a Welfare Rights
Service for older people in Northumberland. This is a full casework
service from benefit checks and form filling to appeals to the Upper
Tribunal. The service is managed by the part-time I&A Manager and
comprises a part time administrator, part-time caseworker and three
C/I&A team/casework policies and procedures/Statement of Service
Last Updated: August 2013
volunteers. Around 90% of clients are seen on home visits – many are
for Attendance Allowance form completion and appeals and are unable
to attend our office due to disability and/or difficulty travelling. The
Welfare Rights Service is well used and and is dependent on accessing
grant funding. There is currently no AUKN core funding for the service.
The specialist face to face Welfare Rights Service provides free
confidential, impartial and independent advice including:
•
•
•
•
•
Benefit checks
Form completion
Appeals to Tribunal
Appeals to Upper Tribunal
Home Visits
Attendance Allowance Promotion Project
In partnership with the Northumberland Care Trust and Northumberland
County Council the I&A team are promoting awareness of Attendance
Allowance and encouraging individuals to become ‘AA Promoters’ in
their own community.
Money Go Round Project
The Northumberland Money Go Round Project (MGRP) works
countywide delivering a combination of advice and practical support to
help older people over 65 cope in increasingly harsh financial
circumstances. Funded by Comic Relief from 2013 – 2016, AUKN is
working in partnership with Community Action Northumberland, Credit
Union of South East Northumberland and Northumberland Community
Development Network. The partners provide advice and support to help
older people increase their income and decrease expenditure and
manage money through welfare rights advice; advocacy, online and
financial management support; loft clearances and small grants to help
pay energy bills.
Housing & Care Options Service
The Housing and Care Options Service is funded by EAC First Stop
(Elderly Accommodation Counsel) from October 2013 to March 2015 to
provide an information, advice, advocacy and support service for older
people around housing and care options. We will be offering a face to
face casework service, one off telephone advices and presentations
around the county to groups of older people and professionals.
C/I&A team/casework policies and procedures/Statement of Service
Last Updated: August 2013
The Aim of AUKNs I&A Service
 To provide accurate and up-to-date information and advice on a
range of topics
 To provide a specialist welfare rights casework service and
housing and care options advice service including a home visiting
service (subject to funding)
 To advise on rights and other issues to improve the quality of life of
older people in Northumberland
 To raise awareness of entitlement to welfare benefits to people
throughout Northumberland
 To advise clients on the options open to them and help them reach
their own decisions
 To provide a culturally sensitive and non-judgmental service that is
responsive to individual needs
 To receive and signpost and make referrals to partner
organisations to assist clients in the most effective manner
 To reach out to hard to reach people through awareness raising
and home visits throughout the County
 To stay informed and up to date about changes that affect older
people and their quality of life
 To continue to monitor and improve the service offered to clients
and adapt to the changing needs of clients
 To work in partnership with the statutory and voluntary sectors to
provide high quality advice
 To provide fulfilling opportunities and training for volunteers to help
others in their community
C/I&A team/casework policies and procedures/Statement of Service
Last Updated: August 2013
 To publicise its services as widely as possible throughout the
County
 To obtain funding to continue the service
 To canvass the views of telephone advice service users on a
range of subjects to develop AUKN’s services
 To inform the telephone advice service users about new
developments and opportunities available to them
 To comply with our obligations pursuant to our Brand Partnership
Agreement with Age UK
C/I&A team/casework policies and procedures/Statement of Service
Last Updated: August 2013