Later Life Partnership NEL

How Carelink, Age UK and Friendship at Home are combining forces in North East Lincolnshire

 

When three established charities – Carelink, Age UK North East Lincolnshire and Friendship at Home – joined together to form the Later Life Partnership NEL, their shared aim was simple yet ambitious: to pool resources, share knowledge of older people’s needs, and reach more older adults across North East Lincolnshire who may benefit from local help and support.

 

By working together, the partners can identify emerging issues – isolation, technology gaps, benefit-entitlement shortfalls – and partner with the local authority and other agencies to channel assistance where it is needed most.

 

 

Each organisation brought something unique: Carelink’s experience in tele-care and monitoring services, Age UK’s reach and local programmes, and Friendship at Home’s expertise in befriending and digital inclusion. Together they said: rather than working in silos, let’s collaborate to maximise impact.

The Partnership allows:

 

• Shared workforce, shared knowledge of older people’s lives and local geography

• Shared programmes so one organisation’s service can feed into another’s support

• Better identification of gaps and more coordinated response across the borough

 

As the partners put it: “By reaching more older people, we can become aware of emerging needs and concerns in the community and work with the local authority and others to channel support where it is needed.”

 

 

Joint Programmes: Meal Delivery & Tablet Scheme

 

One of the first joint ventures of the Partnership involved two major strands: supporting Age UK to expand its meal delivery services and promoting Friendship at Home’s tablet-loan scheme for older people.

 

For many older adults unable to leave home (due to mobility, health, or COVID restrictions), a delivered hot meal combined with contact through a tablet, WiFi and online services can significantly reduce isolation. The tablet scheme had been funded via lottery and local authority grants to provide older adults with tablets + WiFi to help them stay in touch with groups, services and family. CarelinkNEL

 

Technology can seem daunting. That’s where the Partnership’s combined resource makes a difference: staff and volunteers spend extra time supporting older people—initial setup, revisits, confidence-building. Carelink’s community engagement worker, Janet, personally went out delivering meals and then returned to help older people learn how to use the tablets.

 

The result? Meals, contact, digital skills, and ongoing support all wrapped into one integrated service.

 

Community Engagement & Advice Days

 

The Later Life Partnership also organised Advice Days for older adults. In 2023 one event was held in October at Cleethorpes Memorial Centre where multiple local organisations were invited—from meal-delivery services to travel companies—to showcase their support. Big Local and Hammond Productions filmed the event.

 

Such events serve multiple purposes: raising awareness, fostering peer contact, offering live demonstrations (tablet use, benefit checks), and creating community networks. They help older adults, carers and families find support in one place.

 

The “Million Pound Challenge” – Ensuring Full Benefit Entitlements

 

A key ambition of the partnership is the “Million Pound Challenge” across North East Lincolnshire. Together, the organisations aim to ensure that all people aged 60+ are receiving their full benefit entitlements. Many older residents are not claiming Attendance Allowance, Pension Credits, Council Tax or Housing Benefit credits—even though they are eligible.

 

The message is clear: “Are you missing out? Don’t be!” With the cost of living and fuel bills rising, the Partnership encourages older people to arrange a full benefit-entitlement check with a trained advisor via phone on 01472 312312. It’s quick, free and can make a real difference to income and security.

 

Why This Partnership Matters Now

 

There are several key reasons why this kind of collaboration is both timely and vital:

 

• Growing older-population needs: As people live longer, complexity of needs – isolation, digital exclusion, mobility issues – increases.

• COVID-19 impact: The pandemic exposed and deepened isolation and technology gaps among older adults who were shielding or housebound.

• Digital divide: Tablets + connectivity can help older people stay in touch, access services, and reduce loneliness—but only with proper support.

• Benefit-claiming shortfall: Many older people are not fully claiming what they are entitled to; targeted support can increase income security.

• Joined-up support: Rather than multiple organisations working independently, the partnership model enables coordinated, holistic support.

 

What Older People & Carers Can Expect

 

If you or someone you know is over 60, lives in North East Lincolnshire and might benefit, here’s what you can expect from the Later Life Partnership:

 

• A friendly referral or contact to one of the partner organisations (Carelink, Age UK, Friendship at Home)

• Possible access to meal-delivery services or tablet-loan schemes for connectivity

• Digital training and ongoing support for tablet use and online interaction

• Attendance at local Advice Days where multiple support services are showcased

• A free benefit entitlement check to ensure you’re claiming everything you’re eligible for

• A network of local organisations working together so you are not left isolated

 

 How to Get Involved or Access Support

 

If you feel you might benefit from any of the partnership’s services, or you run a local group and would like to connect, you can:

 

• Call the shared phone number: 01472 312312

• Visit the Carelink website and click the Later Life Partnership page

• Attend one of the Advice Days organised by the partnership (watch for announcements)

• Ask for tablet-loan support, digital training, meal-delivery info or benefit-check assistance

 

Whether you’re older, housebound, isolated, or simply want help staying more connected—it’s all part of the partnership’s mission.

 

Looking Ahead

 

The Later Life Partnership doesn’t just meet existing need – it seeks to identify emerging concerns in the community. By joining up expertise and resources, the three organisations aim to be proactive: spotting trends, piloting new services, and ensuring older people in North East Lincolnshire are supported, connected and included.

 

If you know someone who would benefit from these services—or if you’d like to be part of a group or event with the partnership—please contact us. Together, we are making a difference for older residents, and helping build stronger, connected communities.

 

 Contact Details

 

For more information: 01472 312312

 

Thank you for supporting older people in our community.