We hear regularly from older people who have been forced into unthinkable situations because of poverty, cutting back on essentials like food and heating or withdrawing from socialising. With a new UK Government, we’ve got a significant opportunity to address pensioner poverty. This report details the experiences of older people we’ve spoken to at listening roadshows across the country, as well as people who’ve shared their stories with us online or over the phone, to paint a picture of what needs to be done if we are to tackle poverty in later life.
Cost of living
With the spiralling cost of household bills, older people in poverty have been faced with years of financial insecurity. We heard from many older people living on a low income who were struggling to afford the essentials and being forced to make drastic cutbacks.
Participants at our listening roadshows shared with us that they have been forced to reduce the amount, and quality, of food they ate. We also frequently heard from the older people we spoke to that they were cutting back on their utilities such as energy, water and broadband. Although energy prices are far from their peak in October 2022 when an average household bill was £2,380 a year, current prices are still significantly higher than before the energy crisis. For those on a low income, the impact of this spike continues to be felt today.
Some utility companies – such as water and broadband providers – offer lower-cost social tariffs for older people on a low income, or those who have a higher need because of a disability or long-term health condition. We heard from our roadshow participants that social tariffs can make a huge difference. However, social tariffs vary hugely from company to company in terms of the discount and eligibility criteria. Such a patchwork of support means that older people aren’t sure what financial help they can receive, with some not receiving any at all.
Not enough income to live on
A recurring theme in our conversations with older people across the country was that they often do not have enough money to make ends meet. There are financial entitlements available for older people on a low income, such Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, and social tariffs for utility bills. However, time and time again we heard that many people who are eligible haven’t been made aware what support schemes are available or how to get them.
For example, the latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that up to 880,000 households in Great Britain do not receive Pension Credit, even though they are entitled to it. Not only is this group missing out on this extra income, the Chancellor’s recent announcement to withdraw Winter Fuel Payment from older people not receiving means-tested entitlements such as Pension Credit means they face an extra loss of between £200 and £300 a year.
There are lots of reasons for low take-up. Many of the older people living on a low income we spoke to simply didn’t know they were eligible. Others told us that they had been unable to access entitlements such as Attendance Allowance because of the complexity of the application processes.
Hope for the future
Many of the people we spoke to felt their needs were ignored by society. In particular, we heard from several older people who felt disillusioned by politicians and politics because of the lack of positive change they see.
While many of the older people we spoke to felt pessimistic about their future, plenty of others had clear ideas about what they would like to see the new UK Government do. They spoke about wanting the needs of older people to be considered by those at the heart of government.
Shortly before the recent UK general election, a Westminster parliamentary committee ran an inquiry into the rights of older people. The Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee found that ‘there is insufficient focus on ageing and older people in the machinery of government and wider governance framework’. This echoes what we heard from older people during our research.
Key statistics
Up to £9.5 billion in extra support goes unclaimed by older people who are entitled to receive it – that’s £26 million every single day
49% of older people on a low income in England have struggled to pay for food and drink over the last six months
55% of older people on a low income in England are having to cut back their spending on heating a great deal or fair amount
What is Independent Age calling for?
Independent Age recommends that:
Have you been affected?
If you have been affected by any of the issues covered in this report, or are facing any other struggles with financial hardship, please get in touch. You can call our Helpline on 0800 319 6789 to arrange to speak to speak to one of our expert advisers. We also have a range of free information online. Our advice and information services are completely free, confidential and impartial.
Want to know more?
Our full report is available to read and download. Click on the button below to hear directly from older people about the financial difficulties they are struggling with, and to hear about what we can do to make sure everyone has the means to live well in later life.
You might also be interested in...
> Sign up to our campaigns network to keep up to date with our campaigns, and how you can stand with older people in financial hardship.
> Read our report on household costs.
> Find out more about why we need a Commissioner for Older People and Ageing.