East End Community Foundation
Tackling Pensioner Poverty programme
The Rothesay Foundation has been co-funding the East End Community Foundation's Tackling Pensioner Poverty programme since 2023, pledging £50,000 per year over three years. The programme seeks to address the high levels of financial insecurity amongst older people in the East End of London, by providing training, support and funding to frontline community groups to deliver advice projects that promote the uptake of unclaimed benefits, such as Pension Credit.
The need for this programme is significant, as the East End of London has some of the highest levels of pensioner poverty in the country. It is estimated that 20,000 pensioners, around 25% of older people in the area, are eligible for Pension Credit and not claiming it.
Winter Appeal
The Rothesay Foundation has also supported the East End Community Foundation’s Winter Appeal since 2024, pledging £50,000 which enabled the delivery of 1,000 essential winter care packages to isolated older people who often spend the Christmas period alone. Following its success, in 2025 we committed a further £50,000 a year over three years to support the programme’s continued delivery.
