Age Concern is calling on people across the UK to help their older friends and family make sure they claim all benefits they are entitled to, as this could dramatically improve their quality of life and lift many out of poverty.

The call comes as new research for the charity reveals that more than a third (35 per cent) of people are worried that an older friend or relative is missing out on vital cash.

In a bid to reverse the growing amount of money left unclaimed by older people each year - now up to £4.2bn - Age Concern has launched a major campaign.

The charity has set an ambitious target for the year-long Your Rights campaign, pledging to put an extra £100m into the pockets of pensioners before April 2008.

News that council tax bills will increase by an average 4.2 per cent this year will be a huge worry for many pensioners, yet official figures show that council tax benefit is still the least claimed benefit by older people, particularly homeowners on a low income.

New research by Age Concern showed that more than 60 per cent of older homeowners on low incomes think they would not b e entitled to council tax benefit, yet almost the same percentage of lower income homeowners who are entitled are not claiming.

Up to £1.4billion in council tax benefit is failing to reach older people, with almost 50 per cent of those entitled to claim - up to 2.2 million pensioner households - missing out.

One couple, who between them claimed an extra £250 per week in benefits with the help of their local Age Concern, said: "Once we made a claim for one benefit, we found we were entitled to many more. We no longer have to pay council tax and we get extra money each week and help paying for glasses and free dentist treatment.

"Claiming benefits has made a massive difference to our lives and Age Concern made it really easy to claim. They visited us at home and helped us to fill out the forms." The charity is concerned that some of the poorest and most excluded older people are missing out because they don t know that they are entitled, are worried about the complexity of the process or are embarrassed about claiming.

Age Concerns branches offer clear, free and confidential help and advice which can overcome these obstacles.

Older people or concerned friends or relatives should contact their local Age Concern or call the free helpline on 0800 00 99 66 for more information and advice.

Actor and TV presenter, Tony Robinson, who is supporting the campaign, said: "You wouldn t throw your own money out of the window, would you? Yet that is what thousands of elderly people do every day by not collecting the benefits that are due to them.

"We pay taxes and National Insurance all our lives, so let s make sure we all get the proper return on that investment."