Welsh older people’s commissioner responds to poverty report

The Older People’s Commissioner for Wales has voiced her support for a new report highlighting the plight of many poverty-stricken pensioners.

The report, from charity Independent Age, suggests thousands of older people are in a “poverty trap” with little hope of escape in their lifetimes. The research found many “older pensioners” are worse off than their younger counterparts by thousands of pounds a year on average, leaving 20% of over-75s living below the poverty line.

The charity said the “silent generation” of pensioners who lived through the Second World War are being forgotten while public discussion focusses on the wealth of younger “Baby Boomers”.

Commenting on the report, Sarah Rochira, said: “This is a very important piece of research undertaken by Independent Age. Their report shows that behind the misleading narrative we often hear – ‘older people have never had it so good’ – many are really struggling.

“Whilst of course this is not the case for all older people, the report clearly shows how a generation to whom we owe so much are suffering. To live in poverty is to suffer: you can’t heat your home, you can’t eat healthy food, you can’t get out of the house – it makes you vulnerable and it can have a devastating impact on your health and wellbeing. Let’s not forget that thousands of older people across the UK die every year simply because of the cold.

“These issues must be addressed, particularly the high levels of unclaimed pension credit among our poorest older people. I raised this matter with the last Welsh Government and I expect to see the next Welsh Government focusing on this group. Not instead of other groups, but alongside other groups. We must not fall into the trap of pitting generations against each other, as this report rightly points out, but nor must we forget this group in their time of hardship.

“This group of older people have known hardship and have fought for much of what we have now. They raised us, they taught us and they built this country. Now is the time to stand by them and make sure that they are not failed in their time of need.”

To dowload the report, visit: http://www.independentage.org/campaigning/policy-and-research/research-reports/