Government policies

Link-age

Starting dates 2004: introduced
Key department Department of Work and Pensions
Key delivery agency Department of Work and Pensions, local authorities and other local service providers
Budget/target/comment

An initiative to improve the coordination of service delivery with an initial focus to increase take-up of entitlements and services.

Three main components:

1) Joint teams: Joint teams between local authorities and the Pension Services to integrate a variety of services for old people.

2) Alternative offices: Allows older people to make benefits claims to local charities if they would prefer not to send documents to the Pensions Service

3) £13 million partnership fund: Fund for not-for-profit organisations to run pilot schemes to encourage the take up of benefits.  Funding began in 2005 for 170 organisations for a period of two years

On a case-by-case basis, information will be shared to help identify potential non-claimants of benefits.

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