Actress Sue Holderness has joined forces with Independent Age to raise awareness of the hidden financial struggles faced by millions of older people in the UK, highlighting unclaimed benefits and urging support through their vital helpline services.
Sue Holderness, best known for her role as Marlene in the beloved sitcom Only Fools and Horses, has lent her voice to raise awareness about the struggles faced by older people living in poverty in the UK. She is supporting Independent Age, a charity dedicated to improving the lives of older individuals experiencing financial hardship, by highlighting the vital work of its free helpline. Holderness emphasises the importance of reaching out for help, especially as many older people are unaware of the financial support available to them.
According to Independent Age, around two million older people in the UK currently live in poverty, a situation that manifests in harsh realities such as enduring cold, damp homes and limiting daily meals to cope with rising costs. In 2024 alone, Independent Age identified approximately £5.7 million in unclaimed benefits among older people, with each caller missing out on an average of £5,200 annually. Holderness describes listening to helpline calls as a "harrowing experience," noting that for many, it is the first time they have sought assistance, often hindered by pride or fear.
The charity’s helpline, which operates Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm, offers confidential, practical advice on a range of issues, including benefits, care, housing, and financial support. It is staffed by advisers who provide compassionate and personalised help, aiming to ensure that vulnerable older people claim all the support they are entitled to. The service is accessible via phone, email, and web chat, with resources for people who speak different languages or have hearing impairments.
Independent Age’s work goes beyond the helpline; it also runs telephone groups, webinars, and a grants programme supporting hundreds of local organisations that work directly with older people throughout the UK. In 2024, the charity responded to over 26,000 calls and more than 1,000 web chat enquiries, in addition to awarding £5.1 million in grants aimed at alleviating poverty in later life. Its chief executive, Joanna Elson, emphasises that addressing poverty among older people requires systemic change alongside practical support, stating that no one should have to endure such deprivation in modern Britain.
Independent Age relies heavily on donations from the public to maintain and expand its services. Campaign films featuring actors like Sue Holderness have been launched to tackle the stigma of poverty among older people and to encourage those in need to seek support. A £10 donation can help answer a call to the helpline and potentially transform lives by connecting older individuals with much-needed assistance.
By speaking out and sharing the stories behind the helpline, Holderness hopes to dismantle the barriers that prevent older people from asking for help. She urges those facing financial difficulty in later life to use Independent Age’s helpline, assuring them of compassionate, unwavering support designed to make a genuine difference in their lives.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative was first published on 23 February 2024, with the most recent publication on 1 October 2025. The Independent Age press release from 23 February 2024 highlights Sue Holderness's involvement in raising awareness about the charity's helpline. ([independentage.org](https://www.independentage.org/news-media/press-releases/only-fools-and-horses-actress-sue-holderness-highlights-life-changing?utm_source=openai)) The Independent article from 1 October 2025 reports on Holderness's continued support for the helpline, indicating that the content is fresh and not recycled. The narrative is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found between the two sources. The Independent article includes updated data, justifying a higher freshness score. No earlier versions of the narrative were found. No republishing across low-quality sites or clickbait networks was identified. No earlier versions show different figures, dates, or quotes. No similar content appeared more than 7 days earlier. The update may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged.
Quotes check
Score:
9
Notes:
The direct quotes from Sue Holderness and Joanna Elson in the Independent article from 1 October 2025 match those in the Independent Age press release from 23 February 2024, indicating that the quotes are reused content. No variations in wording were found. No online matches were found for the quotes, raising the score but flagging them as potentially reused content.
Source reliability
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative originates from reputable organisations: The Independent, a well-known UK newspaper, and Independent Age, a national charity supporting older people in financial hardship. Both sources are reliable and trustworthy.
Plausability check
Score:
10
Notes:
The claims about Sue Holderness's involvement with Independent Age and the statistics regarding older people living in poverty are plausible and supported by the sources. The narrative lacks supporting detail from other reputable outlets, but the information aligns with known facts. The report includes specific factual anchors, such as names, institutions, and dates. The language and tone are consistent with the region and topic. The structure is focused and relevant to the claim. The tone is appropriate for a press release and news article.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is fresh, originating from reputable sources, and presents plausible claims. The quotes are reused from earlier material, but this does not significantly impact the overall assessment.
