PEOPLE stand to gain a combined £26,000-plus annually as a result of a pension credit eligibility drop-in session staged in Keighley.

Half the 16 people who attended the event at Central Hall discovered they were able to claim pension credit, attendance allowance or other additional income such as housing benefit.

It was calculated that collectively, they will benefit by £26,932 a year.

A similar event was staged at the Clarke Foley Centre in Ilkley, where 10 of the 15 attendees found out they were eligible and together stand to benefit to the tune of £22,455.

The sessions were organised by Keighley & Ilkley Labour Party, in partnership with Citizens Advice Bradford and Airedale and Law Centre.

Age UK was also represented at the events, where free cake and hot drinks were on offer.

Keighley East district councillor Caroline Firth, who helped organise the initiative, says: "A huge 'thank you' goes to Citizens Advice Bradford, and Airedale and Law Centre, for working with us closely to support pensioners to access this extra income.

"The advisors who came along worked incredibly hard and feedback indicates they were empathetic and supportive, as were our marvellous volunteers from Labour and Age UK Bradford & District.

"We hope these stark figures of how much income has been unlocked will encourage more people to look into their eligibility."

The number of pension credit claims has increased by 227 per cent since August, compared to last year, but it's believed there are still around 6,400 people across West Yorkshire who are eligible but not accessing it.

Richard Wilkinson, chief executive of Citizens Advice Bradford and Airedale and Bradford Law Centre, says: "At the sessions we did a comprehensive check for all potential benefit entitlements, not just pension credit, and the annual income raised as a result is quite staggering. We now plan to run two more sessions with local Labour volunteers, in Steeton-with-Eastburn and Silsden."

Amanda Peters, a trustee of Age UK Bradford & District, says: "It was great to work in partnership with local Labour councillors, volunteers and other agencies to ensure that older people in Ilkley and Keighley can get the benefits and support they are entitled to."

For further information about pension credit, contact Citizens Advice Bradford on 0808 278 7828 or visit citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/help-if-on-a-low-income/pension-credit

Alternatively, call the Department for Work and Pensions’ pension credit inquiry line on 0800 99 1234, or go to gov.uk/pension-credit