The UK Government has given the first indication that it is backing Age Cymru’s campaign call to provide call blocking devices to older people who are troubled by nuisance and scam callers.
Culture Minister Ed Vaizey gave a written answer to a Parliamentary question on July 4 in which he said the UK Government was ‘exploring options to provide free devices to people identified as being at higher risk of financial damage and personal distress as a result of nuisance calls’.
Age Cymru is Wales’s largest and leading charity for older people which works nationally and locally through its network of local charity partners, to make Wales a place where older people can flourish.
We have been calling for such a measure for the past two years as part of our ‘Scams and swindles’ campaign.
While the UK Government would be considering provision to all vulnerable people, older people are particularly at risk of exploitation, especially those who live alone.
Call blocking technology puts the customer in charge of what calls they receive and can cut out all calls from strangers.
A provider has shown a 98% success rate in cutting out nuisance calls.Age Cymru calls on both the UK and Welsh governments to work together to protect older and vulnerable people from telephone fraud and nuisance calls by jointly planning that they receive call blocking technology as soon as possible.
GERRY KEIGHLEY
Campaigns Officer
Age Cymru
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