Pensioners Link

What Pensioners Link does

Pensioners Link (legally Wigan & Leigh Pensioners Link) is a registered UK charity (Company Reg. No. 2608731; Company No. 1003175) founded in 1988 by Allan Taylor and Peter Kenny to help older people remain independent through information, advice, and community support. The organization operates from a single headquarters — Allan Taylor House, 27 Charles Street, Leigh — and serves the over-50s population across the Wigan & Leigh Borough via a drop-in centre, home visits, telephone befriending, and partner-hosted venues including Wigan Council Life Centres.

The service portfolio is delivered by a small paid staff team of 1–10 supported by 50+ trained volunteers and falls into three categories: practical support services (Books & More library delivery, Time Limited Contact Scheme, Helping Hands grocery delivery, Telephone Contact, Welcome Home Bag, Counselling, HomeSafe hospital discharge support); social and wellbeing group activities (art groups, coffee club, seated exercise, IT drop-in, knit & crochet, movement & balance, poetry, walk & talk, genealogy); and advice services (wills and trusts via McHale Baker, benefits advice via Wigan Council, mental health support via NHS Foundation Trusts). The charity has no proprietary technology platform — service delivery is human-mediated and supported by a Wix-hosted website and social media channels.

The revenue model is donation-led, with suggested giving tiers of £5 (Welcome Home Bag) up to £100 (weekly refreshments), a £10 one-off fee covering all counselling sessions, and nominal group activity fees to offset running costs. A Friends of Pensioners Link monthly subscription scheme provides a recurring-revenue layer. Strategic partnerships with statutory bodies — Greater Manchester Mental Health Foundation Trust, Wrightington Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust, Wigan Council, and the office of Jo Platt MP — generate referral pipelines and amplify reach without direct payment. Recent organizational activity includes a leadership transition (Kirsty appointed Manager in May 2024) and formalization of the HomeSafe partnership to reduce hospital re-admission.

Name

Pensioners Link

Legal name

Wigan & Leigh Pensioners Link

Website

https://pensionerslink.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pensioners Link is a registered UK charity founded in 1988 that delivers practical support, social activities, counselling, and advice services to over-50s across the Wigan & Leigh Borough, funded through donations and a small staff-volunteer team.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services for Older People

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Elder Services & Aging Support (BPAGAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Companion Care & Social Support (non-clinical) (HLADAGAB), Volunteer & Companion Support Services (Hospice Volunteer Programs) (HSABAFAO), End-of-Life Companionship (Non-Clinical) (HSABAAAL)

Keywords

• Community support services
• Older people services
• Social isolation support
• Volunteer charity services
• Elder wellbeing programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Leigh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations: Charitable donations from individuals, suggested donation amounts ranging from £5 to £100 for various services and support activities
2. Service Charges: Minimal charges for certain services - £10 for counselling sessions covering all sessions, home visit assessment and shopping delivery service charges for Helping Hands, and minimum fees for group activities to cover running costs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Wigan & Leigh Pensioners Link is a registered charity delivering community-based practical support, counselling, and social activities for people aged 50 and over across the Wigan & Leigh Borough. Core services include Books & More home delivery, Time Limited Contact Scheme, Helping Hands shopping service, Telephone Contact, Welcome Home Bag, and a Counselling Service, supplemented by group activities (art, exercise, IT, genealogy, walking) and advice services on wills/trusts, benefits, and mental health.

Product overview

Wigan & Leigh Pensioners Link operates as a community charity offering a unified portfolio of services for people aged 50+ across the Wigan and Leigh borough. The organisation provides two main service categories: core support services (Books & More, Time Limited Contact Scheme/TLC, Helping Hands, Telephone Contact, Welcome Home Bag, Counselling, and HomeSafe) delivering practical assistance with daily living, and group activities (Art & Crafts, Art Group, Coffee Club, Exercise Class, IT Drop In, Knit & Crochet, Movement & Balance, Poetry, Walk & Talk, and Genealogy) promoting social engagement and wellbeing. Additionally, advice services covering wills, trusts, benefits, and mental health support are offered through partnerships with external providers. The organisation also runs volunteer programmes and a Friends membership scheme.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Books & More Library home delivery service that collects and delivers books to those unable to access their local library, also offering chat and support in accessing community activities.
• Time Limited Contact Scheme (TLC) Free scheme providing up to six visits of low-level support including food shopping and signposting to other services for people aged 50+ experiencing significant life changes.
• Helping Hands Volunteer-assisted shopping service that organises and delivers weekly or fortnightly essential food items to customers' homes, with a home visit assessment conducted beforehand.
• Telephone Contact Weekly or fortnightly telephone contact service connecting clients with volunteers for friendly social chats to reduce isolation and loneliness.
• Welcome Home Bag Free provision of essential food and personal care items for people over 50 following a change in circumstances such as hospital discharge.
• Counselling Service Professional counselling service for anyone aged 50 and over living in the Wigan Borough, with a minimal one-off payment of £10 and a waiting list in operation.
• HomeSafe Partnership with Wigan Council and the local NHS Foundation Trust providing reassurance and intervention for patients discharged from hospital to help reduce re-admission and social isolation.
• Coffee Club Drop-in coffee mornings on Tuesdays and Fridays featuring activities like quizzes, cards, games, and occasional guest speakers.
• Exercise Class (seated) Chair-based group exercise programme suitable for all fitness levels, helping develop confidence and prevent falls.
• Movement & Balance Class Weekly fitness class with a professional coach emphasising balance and gentle exercise for older people, held Thursday afternoons; groups require a minimum fee to help cover running costs.
• Walk & Talk Weekly Thursday morning walking group for adults aged 50+ in the Wigan Borough, providing gentle exercise and social interaction.
• Art & Crafts Class Project-based art activities with a dedicated tutor promoting wellbeing, preventing social isolation, and encouraging development of new creative skills.
• Art Group Weekly art sessions led by a professional tutor covering painting and drawing using watercolours, acrylics, oils and various drawing tools.
• Genealogy / Family History Uses the Find My Past subscription to explore family genealogy with volunteer guidance, held Thursday afternoons.
• IT Drop In Group Monday morning IT sessions run by an experienced tutor offering informal digital technology help for those lacking confidence.
• Knit & Crochet Weekly knitting and crocheting class with social atmosphere for both experienced crafters and beginners.
• Poetry Group Weekly Tuesday afternoon sessions for discussing, reading and writing poetry, open to anyone over 50.
• Wills & Trusts Advice Monthly free advice sessions provided by McHale Baker offering guidance on wills and trusts, with appointments on the last Wednesday of each month (first half hour free of charge).
• Benefits Advice Referral service to Wigan Council's Welfare Support & Welfare Rights Team for people over 50 seeking advice on benefits eligibility and application assistance.
• Mental Health Support Daily activities, friendship, counselling and support services for isolated older people to improve confidence and positive mental wellbeing, with referrals to the Greater Manchester Mental Health Foundation Trust and the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust.
• Friends of Pensioners Link Monthly subscription membership with a downloadable subscription form for ongoing support of the charity.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces isolation for people who may see or speak to few people on a typical week
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Jo Platt MP's Office (Leigh and Atherton)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 November 2019Constituency caseworkers hold monthly drop-in support surgeries at Pensioners Link on the last Friday of each month, 2pm-4pm. No appointment needed for constituents of Leigh and Atherton.
• McHale BakercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIndependent advisers from McHale Baker provide monthly advice sessions at Pensioners Link centre in Leigh for people over 50 on wills and trusts. Appointment slots available 10am-12 noon on the last Wednesday of each month, with first half hour free of charge. Alternative dates by appointment only.
• Wigan Council Welfare Support & Welfare Rights TeamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPensioners Link refers people to Wigan Council's Welfare Support & Welfare Rights Team for benefits eligibility advice and help with completing application forms. Appointments available face-to-face at Life Centres or at home for housebound individuals.
• Greater Manchester Mental Health Foundation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivers community and inpatient mental health support across the North West. Mental Health Link Workers provide advice, support and guidance to people aged 18+ registered with a Wigan GP. Also offers Talking Therapies for common mental health conditions.
• Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides counselling services with one-to-one assessment and counselling for people aged 16+ across Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh. Referral available from GP or direct contact.
• Wigan Mental Health Urgent Response TeamminorStrategic or Co-development Partner24-hour crisis line for mental health emergencies: 0800 953 0285. Referred to service users as urgent mental health support option.
• Wigan Council and Wigan, Wrightington and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust (HomeSafe)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHomeSafe partnership provides reassurance for patients discharged from hospital. Important intervention that helps reduce re-admission into hospital and social isolation.
• Leigh Dementia Carer Support GroupminorOthersIndependent grant-funded organization run by volunteers. Holds monthly meetings at Pensioners Link (usually 1st Friday, 2pm-4pm) to provide peer support, information sharing, and respite for dementia carers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Mind: National UK mental health charity. Comparable in the counselling and mental health support services Pensioners Link provides via its partnership with Greater Manchester Mental Health Foundation Trust.
• Age UK: The UK's largest charity for older people, providing information, advice, and local services. Highly comparable as a national umbrella serving the same over-50 demographic, though operating at vastly greater scale and with a federated local-branch model.
• Alzheimer's Society: Major UK charity supporting people with dementia and their carers. Comparable through Pensioners Link's partnership with Leigh Dementia Carer Support Group and its broader engagement with cognitively vulnerable older adults.
• Carers UK: National UK charity supporting unpaid carers, including many older adults caring for spouses. Comparable in the advice, signposting and emotional-support services Pensioners Link delivers to its 50+ beneficiaries.

Direct peers

• Independent Age: National UK charity offering advice, befriending and community support for older people. Closely comparable peer in mission (combating isolation and supporting independence), with overlapping befriending and advice services.
• The Silver Line: UK helpline charity providing telephone friendship and information for older people. Directly analogous to Pensioners Link's Telephone Contact service and shares the same isolation-reduction mission.
• Royal Voluntary Service: UK charity mobilizing volunteers to support older people through hospital discharge, companionship and community services — a near-direct overlap with Pensioners Link's volunteer-driven home visits, Telephone Contact, and HomeSafe-style interventions.
• Re-engage (formerly Contact the Elderly): UK charity focused on social connections and group activities for isolated older people. Comparable in addressing loneliness through volunteer-led group social engagement, similar in scale and beneficiary profile.

Others

• Wigan Council Welfare Rights and Advice Services: Local authority welfare-rights team that Pensioners Link formally refers beneficiaries to. Closely linked strategic partner for benefits advice delivery to the same client cohort.

Regional players

• Age Concern Wigan Borough: Local Age UK-affiliated charity serving the same Wigan borough as Pensioners Link, with overlapping information, advice, and community engagement services for over-50s.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/pensionerslink?lang=en
• Facebookfacebook.com/pensionerslink

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pensioners Link