Link-age

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.