Adequate levels of income are a crucial factor in ensuring that older people can enjoy the benefits of later life. Without money older people are unable to participate in activities that can enhance their overall quality of life.

Poverty in old age can also prevent essential home maintenance that can increase energy efficiency and reduce heating costs. It also makes it difficult to sustain the balanced diet that is so fundamental in maintaining good health.

ESF provides a link to identifying the range of universal benefits that are available to older people, and those that are available to meet specific requirements at times of need, especially if that change reduces income.

ESF will offer support, and a link to those who can help people to get the most out of their personal resources and access appropriate care.

Inflation Rate for Pensioners is ‘Highest for 20 Years’, says Help the Aged

Reacting to Retail Price Index (RPI) figures, for the third quarter of 2008 released today, which show the rate of inflation for single pensioners is at its highest ever since 1988, Mervyn Kohler, Special Adviser for Help the Aged, says:

“Today’s figures show inflation for single pensioners is at its highest for 20 years.  Single older people are facing an inflation rate nearly four percentage points higher than the average rate of inflation and 1991 was the last time a two person pensioner household saw a similar rise.

“This massive hike in inflation means that more and more, older people are being forced to cut back on essential items, like food and fuel. There has been a lot of talk recently about the credit crunch, but older people in particular are getting squeezed.  It is virtually impossible for older people on low, fixed incomes to cope with the unrelenting rise in the cost of living. 

“Older people are facing a unique financial crisis and the Government should be doing everything in its power to ensure pensioners can make it through the coming winter.  At the very least the Government must ensure older people get the benefits that are rightfully theirs – more than £5 billion went unclaimed last year, sitting in the Treasury instead of helping the millions of older people who actually need it to survive.”