82% of public support action for older people in poverty

New polling commissioned by charity Independent Age, reveals that 82% of people think the UK Government should be providing more support to older people. The polling also shows the importance of this issue at the ballot box, with more than four in five (81%) saying that policies to support older people in poverty would influence their vote in a General Election.

Independent Age welcomed the UK Government’s changes to the Winter Fuel Payment eligibility criteria announced last week, however receiving this money only puts many older people living on a low income back to where they were a year ago – but now facing even higher bills and costs.

The polling shows that 79% of people of all ages believe that older people living in poverty is ‘a significant issue’ or ‘somewhat of an issue’, and more than 3 in 4 (77%) think that the UK Government has a role to play in addressing this problem.

This polling which took place before the UK Government’s recent announcement to provide the Winter Fuel Payment to more people – asked about the UK Government’s first year in office, and a majority of people of all ages (61%) said policies introduced during the past 12 months have negatively impacted older people in poverty. According to the polling, the policy that has caused the most damage was means testing of the Winter Fuel Payment, with 69% saying this was bad for people over 65.

The research also found that the public support a number of policies to improve later life for current and future generations, including providing further help for older people with water costs (83%), providing more support for housing costs (83%), and creating a long-term strategy to ensure the State Pension is fit for purpose (85%).

In its report, Together Against Poverty in Later Life, which will be launched tomorrow at the Independent Age annual conference, the charity calls for a cross party review on what an adequate income in later life should be, to ensure current and future generations do not experience poverty as they age.

With almost 2 million older people still living in financially precarious situations, the charity says wider reforms and interventions are urgently needed to tackle pensioner poverty. 

Independent Age Chief Executive Joanna Elson, CBE said “This important research has revealed that the UK voting public are acutely aware of the issues impacting older people in poverty, and a huge majority expects the UK Government to listen and consider their needs.

“With almost two million older people living in poverty, the UK Government has a moral duty to reduce this number and support those currently living in financial hardship. We know firsthand from speaking to the older people in poverty, what an isolating and difficult experience it can be. It means going to bed early to stay warm, not washing regularly to save on water, and limiting yourself to one meal a day. This shouldn’t be happening in modern day Britain.

“The UK Government must take the opportunity to address later life poverty. Last week it took a step in the right direction by widening the eligibility criteria for the Winter Fuel Payment. While positive, this isn’t the silver bullet that will solve pensioner poverty, and it puts many back to the same financially strained situations they were in previously. The ultimate goal should be the long-term financial security of all older people. This will be difficult, but there are policies that can make this a reality for current and future generations. The UK Government should work with water and energy companies to introduce a social tariff for both utilities. This will help protect those on low incomes from future spikes in costs.

“There also needs to be a consensus among all the political parties on the adequate income needed in later life to avoid financial hardship. Once this is established, plans can be put into place to ensure every older person receives this amount. With the political will, poverty in later life can become a relic of the past.”