Pensions
Many thousands of pensioners are living in poverty because the State Pension is failing them. Many aren't claiming what they're entitled to because the benefits system is too complex.
What we want
More than two million people are so poor they can’t afford to heat their houses, eat nutritious food or replace household equipment.
That’s because the Basic State Pension they’re forced to live on is far too low. It's time to lift the State Pension to a level that enables older people to live, rather than just survive.
- Pension levels - Pension levels fall far short of need, and are out of step with Council Tax, household bills and other costs like water rates.
- Too complex – Thousands don’t get the pension extras they need because there are too many hoops to jump through.
- End means testing – Intrusive investigations prevent older people from claiming what they are entitled to.
Pension levels
The state pension is just £87.30 a week for a single person, and £139.60 for couples. This is far below basic subsistence levels.
Help the Aged is calling for the State Pension to be set at a decent level. Our research suggests the pension should be at least the £114.05 a week for individuals, and £174.05 for couples.
On a decent pension, millions of older people would no longer need to claim benefits at all. In the long run, that would save the Government money.
Top
Too complex
More than half of our older population are entitled to extra help on top of their pensions. But the benefits system is so complex and confusing that many give up trying to claim.
The Pension Credit has changed its name three times in the last five years. Some pensioners don't even know it exists.
Help the Aged is calling for the whole benefits system to be overhauled. It needs to be made more accessible and less confusing. Only then will older people get what they deserve.
Older people want to talk to real people who are adequately trained to help them access benefits, not to computers or to answer-phone messages.
Recent research for Help the Aged (see 'Meeting the Challenge: defeating pensioner poverty', which can be downloaded from the right hand side of this page) has found that the Government could lift half a million pensioners out of poverty if it ensured full take-up of means-tested benefits.
Top
End means-testing
Older people face intrusive means-testing if they claim extra entitlements with their pensions to help them make ends meet. After working all their lives, some older people feel too demeaned or embarrassed to fill in the forms or answer the necessary questions.
Help the Aged is calling for an end to all means-testing for pension related benefits. With a decent state pension, benefits and means-testing would not be needed.
What you can do
Email your MP - ask your MP to raise the issues with the Work and Pensions Secretary, Peter Hain, and demand that the Government takes steps to end pensioner poverty.
Can I get financial help with my pension?
Visit the Financial Advice section, which has information about pensions, benefits and entitlements.
