Pensioners have been boosted with news that millions of pounds in rates' assistance has been provided to lone pensioners in Northern Ireland.

Stormont Finance Minister Sammy Wilson has welcomed the take up of almost £13.5m of assistance to pay rates by single pensioners.

Some £13,488,820 has been distributed to pensioners since April 2008 by Land & Property Services through the Lone Pensioner Allowance, which entitles persons, aged 70 or over who live alone to a 20% discount in their rate bill.

Welcoming this, the Minister said: "The Lone Pensioner Allowance is an example of the tangible help that the Executive is providing to one of our most vulnerable groups in society. It is encouraging that nearly 25,000 people have availed of this assistance which I am sure is of particular use in this current economic climate."

The Minister, who was attending the Young at Heart Exhibition at St George's Market for retired people in Northern Ireland, encouraged all those who qualify for the assistance to apply.

"If eligible, applicants will receive this help irrespective of income or savings because this allowance is not means tested. Therefore they don't have to tell us about your savings or income when you apply," he explained.

"Older people, who do not live alone, may also be eligible for help with paying their rates. I would encourage all older people to check out what help they are entitled to," he said.

In other news on fighting poverty, the newly installed Stormont Junior Ministers Martina Anderson and Jonathan Bell have both welcomed a report by the Prince's Trust into the affects of poverty on children and young people.

The report, 'Broke - not broken', found that many young people from Northern Ireland's poorest families believe they will achieve few or none of their goals in life.

Responding to the findings, Junior Minister Anderson said: "It is a sad fact that too many people here, and particularly young people, still live in poverty. Poverty blights lives, damages health, removes choice and contributes to a wide range of social ills.

"Tackling poverty must be a priority for us all. The law requires it. The Child Poverty Act 2010 places a duty on each individual department across the Executive to demonstrate how it is helping eradicate poverty by 2020. We are committed to Improving Children's Life Chances," the Sinn Fein politician said.

Also, DUP Junior Minister Bell added: "There has been considerable work undertaken to identify the causes of poverty and the barriers to prosperity. The development of an action plan that sets out the key initiatives arising from the child poverty strategy, gives us an unprecedented opportunity to look at what has worked in the past and ensure that we are using best practice to move forward.

"The Executive wants to implement actions that work. We want to break down those barriers that keep people trapped in poverty and deprivation."

See: Stormont Executive Ministers Named

(BMcC/GK)