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| Move over £100m unclaimed benefit | Move over £100m unclaimed benefit |
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| Up to £100m in council tax benefits goes unclaimed in Wales every year, says the assembly government. | Up to £100m in council tax benefits goes unclaimed in Wales every year, says the assembly government. |
| Local Government Minister Dr Brian Gibbons is expected to announce extra funding for awareness campaigns and to help people take up unclaimed money. | Local Government Minister Dr Brian Gibbons is expected to announce extra funding for awareness campaigns and to help people take up unclaimed money. |
| It is believed pensioners and couples with children are less likely to claim the benefit if they are homeowners. | |
| Age Concern Cymru said up to 117,000 pensioners were living in poverty but urged them not to "suffer in silence". | Age Concern Cymru said up to 117,000 pensioners were living in poverty but urged them not to "suffer in silence". |
| A three year funding package is due to be spent to help more people claim benefits they are due. | |
| Official figures show 46% of pensioners in Wales and 44% of couples with children are paying out much more than they need to in council tax | Official figures show 46% of pensioners in Wales and 44% of couples with children are paying out much more than they need to in council tax |
| Three-quarters of those missing out on council tax benefits are homeowners rather than tenants. | Three-quarters of those missing out on council tax benefits are homeowners rather than tenants. |
| Dr Gibbons is expected to talk about providing the extra money to help people claim money they are entitled to at a conference on Thursday in Llandrindod Wells, Powys. | |
| The One Wales power-sharing agreement between Labour and Plaid Cymru includes a focus on tacking child and pensioner poverty. | The One Wales power-sharing agreement between Labour and Plaid Cymru includes a focus on tacking child and pensioner poverty. |
| Up to 28% of Welsh children live in poverty, say campaigners | Up to 28% of Welsh children live in poverty, say campaigners |
| The extra funding will aim to help local authorities widen the focus of their take-up campaigns to families with children as well as pensioners. | |
| In addition, Dr Gibbons will announce the formation of a working group to research the obstacles people face to claiming benefits. | In addition, Dr Gibbons will announce the formation of a working group to research the obstacles people face to claiming benefits. |
| He is also expected to call for changes in the benefits system at a UK level to ensure more automatic entitlements as well increases in the earnings and savings thresholds. | He is also expected to call for changes in the benefits system at a UK level to ensure more automatic entitlements as well increases in the earnings and savings thresholds. |
| His speech to an invited audience of benefits officers from across Wales is also set to stress the need for partnership with the voluntary sector as organisations well placed to understand local needs and identify solutions. | His speech to an invited audience of benefits officers from across Wales is also set to stress the need for partnership with the voluntary sector as organisations well placed to understand local needs and identify solutions. |
| Age Concern Cymru said elderly people were trying to grapple with rising energy costs and council tax bills on limited fixed incomes. | Age Concern Cymru said elderly people were trying to grapple with rising energy costs and council tax bills on limited fixed incomes. |
| Spokesman Michael Phillips said the amount of benefits which older people failed to claim, including pension credit and winter fuel allowances was nearer £210m. | Spokesman Michael Phillips said the amount of benefits which older people failed to claim, including pension credit and winter fuel allowances was nearer £210m. |
| Dr Brian Gibbons is to announce extra funding for take-up schemes | Dr Brian Gibbons is to announce extra funding for take-up schemes |
| He said: "Many older people grew up at a time before the welfare state was created, where the culture was one of self-sufficiency and therefore they do not want to be seen as taking 'handouts'." | He said: "Many older people grew up at a time before the welfare state was created, where the culture was one of self-sufficiency and therefore they do not want to be seen as taking 'handouts'." |
| The Child Poverty Action Group said 28% of Welsh children still lived below the poverty line despite child poverty falling faster in Wales than the rest of the UK. | The Child Poverty Action Group said 28% of Welsh children still lived below the poverty line despite child poverty falling faster in Wales than the rest of the UK. |
| A spokesman said council tax benefit take-up was particularly low for owner-occupiers because it was administered alongside housing benefit and tended to be claimed at the same time. | A spokesman said council tax benefit take-up was particularly low for owner-occupiers because it was administered alongside housing benefit and tended to be claimed at the same time. |
| "But with a third of children in poverty living in owner-occupier homes, plans to increase council tax benefit take-up for these families could help many poor children," he said. | "But with a third of children in poverty living in owner-occupier homes, plans to increase council tax benefit take-up for these families could help many poor children," he said. |