HBAI: Scot Pensioner poverty rises, leading charity responds
- New figures reveal 156,122 of pensioners in Scotland are living in poverty
- Number has risen by 5% since last year – reaching highest level since 2005/06 – 2007/08.
Commenting on today’s Households Below Average Income statistics Debbie Horne, Scotland Policy and Public Affairs Manager said: “It is unacceptable that 156,122 pensioners across Scotland are in poverty. More can and must be done to change this. Terrifyingly, this increase means that three-year average pensioner poverty levels are the highest since 2005/6 - 2007/8. We must reverse this worrying trend.
“Each of these numbers represents an older person who may be forced into making choices to cut back on life’s essentials, including food and heating. This is wrong. In a compassionate society, no older person should be living in poverty.
“There is action that must be taken in both Holyrood and Westminster. North of the border, the Scottish Government must put in place a pensioner poverty strategy. This should set out actions to boost incomes and social security take up and improve housing affordability and energy efficiency.
“In Westminster, the UK Government must agree what an adequate income level is for a financially secure later life and put in place a plan to ensure everyone receives this.”
Notes to Editor
The new Households Below Average Income statistics published today by the Family Resources Survey, published today by both the Scottish Government in Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland, and by the Department of Work and Pensions in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series show a rise of pensioner poverty in Scotland.
Figures from show that too many older people are getting by without enough to live on, say leading pensioner poverty charity.