A NEW campaign will shine the spotlight on financial abuse towards older people.

The push to raise awareness is being backed by the charity Age UK Herefordshire and Worcestershire, and is the brainchild of the Worcestershire Safeguarding Adults Board.

The board’s members want the issue of financial abuse to take centre stage over the summer and in particular focus attention on the fact that, in this case, older people are often taken for a ride by people they know. The campaign carries the slogan “This isn’t Caring, it’s a Crime” and will feature in posters which are being put up in hospitals, GP surgeries, pharmacies, libraries, and customer service centres.

Philip Talbot, charity chief executive, said: “There are many forms financial abuse can take; from the more obvious to the more subtle with a clear message being that it’s still abuse.” For details, visit worcestershire.gov.uk/safe guardingadults