Age UK North Tyneside has joined forces with bereavement service Settld in a landmark agreement which will help to ease end-of-life admin stress for thousands of older people across the region.
From Monday 9 August, bereaved people using Age UK North Tyneside’s services will be recommended by the charity to use Settld, a bereavement notification service which is entirely free to the public.
The partnership is a pilot scheme from Age UK North Tyneside and could pave the way for a similar relationship with other Age UK’s across the UK.
Dawn McNally, Chief Executive of Age UK North Tyneside, said: “We are very impressed with the free service which Settld offers. It fills a gap in services where a lack of support can cause an immense amount of stress to bereaved people. We believe that Settld will make life a great deal easier for Age UK North Tyneside’s customers who sadly lose a loved one.
“We have built a strong relationship with the team at Settld because of the benefits they can bring to older people in North Tyneside, and elsewhere. Our team will recommend Settld whenever a customer has been bereaved, and we will also highlight the service to all our customers, so that they know where to seek help, should they need it, in the future.”
Launched earlier this year, and based in Seaham, County Durham, Settld is an automated service which allows members of the public to contact multiple companies – from banks, insurance, credit card, mobile phone, subscription services and many more – to notify them of a death. Settld’s online service also helps users to close, transfer or amend their loved one’s accounts following a death.
Vicky Wilson, co-founder and chief executive of Settld, said: “We launched Settld because we know how stressful bereavement notifications can be, particularly for older people who have lost their life partner.
“Our free service lets users get in touch with as many companies as they need to, in one go. It’s the simplest way to notify private sector companies of a death. Our website is safe, secure and easy to use. We look forward to working with Age UK North Tyneside, and to helping their customers who have been bereaved.”
As part of the agreement, anyone over the age of 50 using Settld’s service, with an address in North Tyneside and the surrounding area, will be pointed by the Settld customer care team to Age UK North Tyneside for any additional help they might require.
The North Tyneside charity, and its wholly owned social enterprise EveryDay Care & Support assists older people with a wide range of issues including funeral poverty, benefit claims, financial issues and care provision.
Dawn McNally added: “A major life event like a bereavement changes a person and changes their circumstances which can create additional issues. Our new partnership between Age UK North Tyneside and Settld will alleviate at least some of the stress which our customers face at the lowest point in their life.”
For more details please contact:
Sonya Roe – Age UK North Tyneside sonya.roe@ageuknorthtyneside.org.uk or 07850 851262
Tim Reid – Settld PR & media office – media@settld.care or 07720 414205
About Settld: Settld was created for bereaved individuals and families. Settld’s automated, online service is free to the public. It’s the simplest way to notify companies and to close, transfer and amend accounts after a loved one has died. www.settld.care
