Care home residents 'losing will to live' amid Covid restrictions in England

Only Fools And Horses actor Sue Holderness appeared in our ‘Helpline’ video, encouraging older people to find out if they are entitled to financial support. The video was inspired by real-life calls our helpline. This story has been syndicated by PA Media, and so has appeared in over 15 outlets so far. Read the full story in The Standard.

The number of new people claiming a Pension Credit dropped by more than 12,000 in the last quarter, the most recent figure reveals. People who claim can also open themselves up to more benefits worth another £8,000. The articles include Independent Age’s full response which describes the figures as "a step in the wrong direction" that is especially surprising given the UK Government ran Pension Credit awareness campaigns in June. The charity is concerned these campaigns aren’t effectively reaching the right people. Read more here.

Widespread coverage of our new report – Homing in: How to improve the lives of older renters in Scotland (independentage.org) – which found that in Scotland 39% of older private tenants are living in poverty, with more than a tenth scared to ask their landlord for repairs. The articles focus on our calls for the Scottish government to introduce greater protection for older renters on low income and they include a statement from our Chief Executive Joanna Elson CBE. The story has featured in 18 print and online articles so far.  Morgan Vine, Head of Policy and Influencing, also did a radio interview on what older renters on a low income are facing and what they need in the upcoming Housing Bill. Her interview has been used across 30 radio news programmes. Read the article in The National, Scottish Housing News and STV

Independent Age spokesperson Morgan Vine featured in this BBC News article in which she says "pensioners on a low-income are at absolute breaking point". The story covers food bank in Bow that says it has seen a three-fold increase in older people relying on it for help each week. Read the full article here.

With the release of our new report - No place for older renters | Independent Age – Independent Age received coverage in The Times and several regional outlets, along with broadcast coverage in Times Radio and BBC Radio Wiltshire. The report suggests that high rental prices are forcing older tenants to uproot and move to deprived communities with already overstretched public services. The report also states that older private renters are almost three times more likely to be in poverty than those who own their home mortgage-free. Read the story here.

This article focusses on benefits that are often unclaimed by older people, with interviews with two people who have been helped by Independent Age's Helpline. The major unclaimed benefits are Pension Credit and Attendance Allowance. Independent Age also provided statistics for the piece, such as 2.1 million older people are living in poverty in the UK, and are linked to throughout. Read the full article here.

Independent Age case study and service user Michael told his story to iNews. He had been living most of his adult life on the brink of homelessness. A roofer from Essex, he once found shelter in his friend’s garage; another time he made his car into a temporary home. The piece includes a quote from Chit Selvarajah, Policy Manager, in which he explains that retirees who rent are 3 times more likely than homeowners to be living in poverty.

Joanna Elson CBE, Chief Executive of Independent Age, wrote an op-ed for Inside Housing discussing renting and homelessness amongst older people. She argues that not only is homelessness an ever-present fear for many older people, it is also a threat that keeps many in unsafe rental properties. Read the full article here.