OLDER people are missing out on vital financial help and support because of funding cuts, says Age Concern, which has launched The Price of No Advice campaign.

As well as highlighting funding cuts to 80 per cent of Age Concern's information, advice and advocacy services, the campaign calls for a new government strategy to develop a more co-ordinated approach to providing, and funding, advice services.

However, Andrew Archibald, head of Older People's Services for Dorset County Council, said there had been no funding cuts at all in the county.

In fact there had been considerable investment in the council's Partnership for Older People's Project, available on the Dorset for You website.

According to organisations in Christchurch - where about 44 per cent of the population is retired - there is plenty of advice about grants and cash the elderly are entitled to - if they know where to look for it.

Indeed, Age Concern itself was taken to task by Mary Ashton, secretary of Christchurch Over-50s' Forum, an organisation which invites expert speakers to talk on elderly people's issues at its six meetings a year.

Mrs Ashton said: "So far, we've not been able to persuade anyone from Age Concern to come and talk to us."

She said the forum provides information on a wide range of issues and if members did not know the answer, they would point the questioner in the right direction.

The Citizen's Advice Bureau is also well placed to provide expert information.

"Help is available if you know where to look," said Mrs Ashton.

Norma Fox, a Christchurch Age Concern trustee, is one of the team which dispenses advice to the elderly between 10am and 1.30pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in Druitt Hall.

"We have pop-ins all around the town and we've a befriending service, which does very well. We find that there are so many people who are lonely and need people to go around and have a chat to them and fill in forms for them."

But she pointed out: "There's only so many people you can go to, and we always need helpers."