PENSIONERS in Wear Valley could be missing out on vital funding because they do not realise they are entitled to it.

County Durham Partners Against Poverty has revealed that 25pc of pensioners in receipt of housing and council tax benefit living in Wear Valley have yet to make an application for pension Credit.

Peta Cockburn, locality manager for the Dales for Age Concern, said: "Pensioners, particularly in the Dales, have a history and tradition of making do with what they have got and can be reluctant to investigate whether they are entitled to any more.

"It can make the difference to an older person between making the decision whether they can afford to put the gas fire on during the winter or not and taking away that worry means so much to them."

A campaign has been launched this week by the County Durham Partners Against Poverty to encourage pensioners to review their benefits.

The partnership includes the Pension Service, Durham County Council's Welfare Rights and Social Services, Durham City Council, the district councils Chester-le-Street, Derwentside, Easington, Sedgefield, Teesdale and Wear Valley, Age Concern, Signpost and the Citizens Advice Bureaux.

Age Concern's Pick It Up bus will visit Bishop Auckland Market Place tomorrow, between 10am and noon, and then travel on to the Civic Centre, Crook, from 1pm until 3pm.

A team of advisors will be on the bus to help pensioners assess their entitlement. The bus will then tour the villages in the Wear Valley area throughout the coming weeks.

Coun John Davis, Durham County Council's cabinet member for community development, said: "The new pension credit rewards people who have savings or have a small works or private pension. We want to make sure everyone gets what they are entitled to."

Wear Valley District Council leader Olive Brown said: "We hope everybody will participate and receive what's due."