Advice on welfare rights for disadvantaged older people recruited via primary health care

ISRCTN	ISRCTN37380518
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN37380518
Protocol serial number	11415
Sponsor	NHS North of Tyne (UK)
Funder	NIHR Public Health Research Programme (UK) ref: PHR 09/3009/02

Submission date: 14/02/2012
Registration date: 14/02/2012
Last edited: 09/04/2019

Recruitment status: No longer recruiting
Overall study status: Completed
Condition category: Other

Prospectively registered

Protocol

Statistical analysis plan

Results

Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Not provided at time of registration

Contact information

Dr Katie Haighton
Scientific

Newcastle University
Institute of Public Health
Richardson Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE2 4AX
United Kingdom

Email	katie.haighton@newcastle.ac.uk

Study information

Primary study design	Interventional
Study design	Randomised interventional trial
Secondary study design	Randomised controlled trial
Study type	Participant information sheet
Scientific title	Advice on welfare rights for disadvantaged older people recruited via primary health care
Study objectives	Older people in poor health are more likely to need extra money, aids and adaptations to allow them to stay in their homes, yet many do not claim the benefits to which they are entitled. This study will evaluate the effects on health and well-being of a welfare rights advice service provided by social services departments in North East England for low income older people, who we will identify from general practices. More details can be found at http://www.phr.nihr.ac.uk/funded_projects/09_3009_02.asp
Ethics approval(s)	NHS National Research Ethics Service NRES Committee South West - Exeter, ref: 11/SW/0260
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	Primary Care Research Network for England
Intervention	750 older people who volunteer to take part will be assigned, by chance, to one of two groups. The 375 older people in one group will be given an appointment with a welfare rights advisor within 2 weeks in their own home, during which they will receive a full benefit assessment and help with claiming benefits and other entitlements. Advisors will keep in touch with them until they no longer need help. The 375 older people in the other group will receive exactly the same help and advice 24 months later and receive usual care in the meantime. Older people in both groups will be interviewed at the outset and after 24 months to find out whether the service has had beneficial or other effects and whether it is acceptable. We will also assess whether the service offers good value for money and is acceptable to professionals. Older people in both groups will be free to seek advice independently or to leave the study at any time. Wait list control, 'Usual care', including voluntary access to available welfare rights services until 24 months follow up, when the trial intervention will be offered. Welfare advice, Welfare advice consultations and active assistance with benefit claims delivered in participants' own homes by a trained welfare rights advisor (WRA)
Intervention type	Other
Primary outcome measure(s)	Quality of life (CASP 19) measured at baseline, 12 months, 24 months
Key secondary outcome measure(s)	1. Health status (Euroqol EQ5D) 2. Functional ability (ADLs/IADLs) 3. Independence (living independently, with carer support, in own home or a relations, care home or hospital) 4. Social support/participation (Social Support Questionnaire) 5. Depression (PHQ-9) 6. Mortality 7. Key health related behaviours (diet, physical activity, alcohol, smoking) 8. Perceived financial well-being (Affordability Index) 9. Fuel poverty (achievement of household temperature sufficient to maintain health for expenditure of <10% of household income).
Completion date	31/05/2015

Eligibility

Participant type(s)	Patient
Age group	Adult
Sex	All
Target sample size at registration	750
Key inclusion criteria	1. Volunteer men and women registered with a General Practice in one of 10 social services areas (1 individual per household ) 2. Aged 60 years and over 3. Providing informed consent
Key exclusion criteria	1. Patients resident in nursing homes or hospitals at the time of identification 2. Diagnosed terminal illness 3. By virtue of current physical/mental health cannot participate in the research 4. Lack of fluency in written and spoken English
Date of first enrolment	01/12/2011
Date of final enrolment	31/05/2015

Locations

Countries of recruitment

United Kingdom
England

Study participating centre

Newcastle University

Newcastle upon Tyne
NE2 4AX
United Kingdom

Results and Publications

Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	No
IPD sharing plan summary	Not provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type	Details	Date created	Date added	Peer reviewed?	Patient-facing?
Results article	results	10/01/2019		Yes	No
Protocol article	study protocol	28/05/2012		Yes	No
Funder report results	results	01/01/2019		No	No
Participant information sheet	Participant information sheet	11/11/2025	11/11/2025	No	Yes
Study website	Study website	11/11/2025	11/11/2025	No	Yes

Editorial Notes

09/04/2019: Publication references added.
12/10/2018: An intention to publish date has been added.
12/10/2018: No publications found, verifying study status with principal investigator.