However, the Scottish charity for older people stressed that the amount could be the ‘tip of the iceberg’ with millions of pounds still going unclaimed by older people who are entitled to more financial support.

Last year Age Scotland was part of a campaign urging older people on low or moderate incomes to check if they were entitled to Pension Credit, after the UK government scrapped the Winter Fuel Payment for anyone not in receipt of the benefit.

Pension Credit is available to people over State Pension age on low incomes or with modest savings, to help with the cost of living. Attendance Allowance is for people over State Pension age who have a physical or mental disability.

Katherine Crawford, Age Scotland’s chief executive, said: “The UK government’s shock decision last year to remove the Winter Fuel Payment for all pensioners except those who received Pension Credit made it abundantly clear just how important it is for older people to claim all the benefits they are entitled to.

“We know that many callers to our helpline are facing severe financial hardship, and that claiming the full range of benefits can make a significant difference to their lives. It can be the difference between heating their home or not and being able to eat well.

“While we welcome the increase in the amount of money uncovered in 2024, we still believe this is only the tip of the iceberg. There are millions of pounds of benefits set aside for older people – money which could be life changing - which is not being claimed.

“Our helpline advisors can carry out a full benefits check and help callers navigate the complex benefits system. We also have an online benefits calculator, and we would encourage older people to make use of our helpline or the calculator to ensure that every penny gets into the right hands.”

Anyone over the age of 50 can call the Age Scotland national helpline on 0800 12 44 222.