EAST Lancashire pensioners are losing out on claiming important benefits, Lancashire County Council has warned.

It has produced a new edition of its booklet '60+... Benefits for You', which is free to all over 60s living in the county council area.

The booklet has information about benefits which can be claimed by people in this age group, and also details county council and other services available to help them.

County Coun Marcus Johnstone said: "This year the booklet includes a lot of extra information about the services available to pensioners in the county.

"It has sections on opportunities for learning, water meters, income tax, community transport, television licences, and care and repair schemes, plus all this year's changes to social security benefits which affect pensioners, including the new pension Credit to be introduced in October."

County Coun Dorothy Westell added: "We are concerned that pensioners are still the biggest group in Lancashire to miss out on benefits, so this year the booklet contains a coupon to request a free confidential benefit check from the welfare rights service."

Copies of the booklet are available free from your local library, County Information Centre, Welfare Rights Office, Age Concern or Advice Centre, or by writing to: Welfare Rights Service, Freepost, Preston PR1 8RR.