Overview
- Iceland announced the national rollout of Benefits Boost on Tuesday, offering free, hands‑on benefits checks to Bonus Club members aged 66 and over and publishing a dedicated helpline at 0330 053 2617.
- The programme is funded by a £1.8 million commitment from the Rothesay Foundation and is delivered by Kinly, whose advisers take a 15–20 minute initial call and then complete applications during follow‑ups.
- A pilot helped about 100 customers increase annual income by an average of around £5,000, and Iceland says the wider scheme aims to support 7,500 people and could unlock more than £37 million a year in extra payments.
- Formal award decisions and any backdated payments remain the responsibility of DWP and HMRC, which typically take weeks to around 12 weeks to determine claims after submission.
- The scheme targets accessibility barriers—such as complex online forms and low digital access—by letting specialists apply on claimants’ behalf, a model that could prompt more retailer and charity partnerships to reduce benefit underclaiming.