Thirteen Age Concerns have decided not to join the Age UK brand, and instead partner with Advant–Age, a new trading company set up by four Age Concerns.

Independent Age Concerns have until Friday (1 April) to decide whether to become brand partners with Age UK, the charity formed recently from the merger of Age Concern and Help the Aged, and become a local Age UK. So far 120 out of 300 Age Concerns have confirmed that they will join Age UK as a full brand partner.

Advant-Age was launched in the Houses of Parliament yesterday by four Age Concerns (Birmingham, Hampshire, Liverpool and Slough, and Berkshire East).

At the launch, Dil Daly, chairman of Advant-Age, said the new company was declaring independence from Age UK: “We have no desire to generate income to prop up a large national organisation. We believe that older people's needs are best served by local charities which are part of the local community, understanding and responding to the specific needs of local older people. This is one of the main reasons we have decided to break free," he advised.

Advant-Age has already partnered with AXA Insurance, Stannah stairlift providers, CarelineUK which makes care alarms, Golden Charter funeral planners and TIF travel insurance.