A campaign to get more cash for the elderly has been unveiled as Age UK revealed that everyday living costs were causing considerable hardship for an estimated 18,000 pensioners in Bradford.

Research by the charity shows that everyday living costs are causing considerable hardship for pensioners in Yorkshire with more than half of older people (53 per cent) being forced to make cutbacks and a quarter of those surveyed admitting to spending less on luxuries (26 per cent), or buying cheaper or less food.

Almost one in six (16 per cent) of pensioners in the region said they cut back on heating their home this winter, despite the bitter weather and health risks of living in a cold home.

Age UK’s new Let’s Talk Money campaign – backed by money-saving expert Martin Lewis – has set an ambitious target to get an extra £144 million into the pockets of older people by this time next year.

The campaign comes only days after the Telegraph & Argus exclusively revealed that social care costs in Bradford are reaching crisis point.

Age UK said that 1.7 million pensioners are living in poverty, but huge numbers of older people are unaware of the help that’s available or are reluctant to make a claim.

The key benefits pensioners are not claiming include pension credit, housing benefit, attendance allowance and help towards paying council tax.

Keith Nathan, the chief executive of Age UK in the Bradford district, said: “If we simply look at the Yorkshire and Humber survey figures I’d say that in the region of at least a quarter of the 73,000 plus pensioners in our district are buying cheaper or less food and over half are being forced to make cutbacks generally.

“I believe the situation is very probably worse than that – because Bradford is a poorer district, and many of the older population tend to be among the poorest people within the district.

“Our local take-up campaign on pensions and benefits has helped people in the district claim more than £630,000 in the last ten months.

“If anyone wants help to claim they should get in touch with our Starting Point office, which is on the corner of Kirkgate and Piccadilly in the city centre on (01274) 3919190.”