Free online sessions for older people

Age Scotland is offering free social security training workshops for older people in Renfrewshire.

The two- hour online workshops, funded by the Yorkshire Building Society, offer an accessible guide to social security for those over state pension age and their carers, providing understanding of the support available and how best to go about accessing it.

With upcoming dates available throughout May and June, Age Scotland is encouraging Renfrewshire residents to sign up now.

Age Scotland’s information and project development manager Heather Smith said: “Too often, sources of financial support such as Council Tax Reduction and Pension Credit go vastly under claimed when they could be making a real difference to the lives of older people on low incomes.

“It’s so important to raise awareness and encourage further uptake of this support.

“Our free workshops cover the most relevant social security payments for older people, as well as considering why some may feel reluctant to take steps to unlock their entitlements in the first instance and how we might be able to break down those barriers.

“We’re delighted to offer our training to older people and their carers throughout the Renfrewshire area and hope it will make a real difference, helping them feel better prepared when it comes to handling social security entitlements and confident that they’re not missing out on support.”

Previous workshop attendees said: “I felt very relaxed during the training – the small number of participants allowed for questions to be asked. I liked that the trainer presented the training in a nonjargon, easy to understand way.

“I would recommend that everyone should be given this information as I believe very few folk actually know what they are entitled to, and it’s information that people have a right to be given.

“I would urge my friends to find out if and when they can attend this training session, or contact you to get information from this training.”