MORE than 300 elderly people have benefited from a new scheme designed to make sure they are accessing all the services they are entitled to.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has launched a new team to work with elderly and vulnerable residents to help them get all the benefits they are entitled to.

So far, more than 1,000 home visits have been carried out.

A total of 367 people have benefited from added support, including 96 new blue badges for disabled parking, 129 smoke alarms, 30 installations of draught-proofing, 40 income support applications, 28 attendance allowance claims and an extra 44 disability living allowance claims put forward.

Coun Maureen Bateson, executive member for citizens rights at the council said: "An early indication is that 13 per cent of those people visited were significantly under claiming benefits that they vitally need to maintain their independence."