MORE than £521,000-worth of unclaimed state benefits have been taken up by elderly people living in east Cleveland, thanks to a pioneering project by the local authority.

The scheme was launched by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council in 1998 with the aim of getting more cash for users of the home care and day centre facilities by concentrating on attendance allowance, disability living allowance and income support entitlements.

Now a report on the scheme's first two years, compiled by project coordinator Helen Duncan, has shown that more than £521,000 of unclaimed benefits have now been taken up in the area.

One elderly couple, who are both in poor health, have been awarded more than £200 a week extra thanks to the scheme by the borough's joint welfare rights, and home care and day centre departments.

The scheme has also been successful in the training and skills development for home care and day centre staff, giving them more confidence to help pensioners with their benefit entitlements and enabling them to get over the biggest hurdle - the perceived stigma of claiming benefits.

Ms Duncan Smith said: "Pensioners were reluctant to admit they had difficulty managing on their incomes, however low these were, and they wanted to be seen as independent and self-sufficient.

"There was also a dislike of the process of claiming. The size and complexity of the benefit application form was a major obstacle, as was the perceived attitude of Benefits Agency staff."