Welfare is not a competition – both young and old need protecting from poverty

The U-turn on the winter fuel payment by the UK government was a bittersweet victory for older people in financial hardship and all of us who have campaigned against the cuts. The money will make a welcome difference for the individuals who rely on it to help make the colder months more manageable – and shows that sharing evidence and amplifying hidden voices can work. But far greater action is needed to combat poverty in later life. 

Worryingly, since the U-turn, a damaging narrative has emerged that all older people are financially stable and are being prioritised by the UK government, reaping the rewards over working age adults.  

Viewing our social security system as a competition in which one group getting support means another must miss out is not only incorrect, but also harmful. It lays a false assumption that the only choices are to pick one low-income group and neglect another. These are not the only choices available.  

Poverty at any age is unacceptable, and people who are in financial hardship early in their lives are likely to be in this situation in later life. The people we support at Independent Age have often experienced poverty at different stages of their lives. Though less severe than originally proposed, the planned cuts to personal independence payments (PIP) and the health element of universal credit (UC) will still inevitably lead to increased numbers of older people in poverty in the years to come.

This ticking time bomb is recognised by us and others in the poverty space, which is why last year charities and organisations supporting people of all ages signed our Statement of Intent: together against pensioner poverty. An approach that tackles poverty across the life course is needed if we are to truly solve this problem. Part of this is recognising and making visible poverty in all its forms.

The assumption that people in later life do not struggle with financial hardship is part of the reason the winter fuel payment was cut in the first place. Older people on a low income can be less visible than other groups. From our helpline we know that when budgets are stretched, many older people can no longer afford to socialise like they used to, leaving them feeling isolated and forgotten. 

Across the UK, two million pensioners live in poverty, with a further million experiencing financial hardship. People in this situation are cutting back on meals, living in damp, cold homes and sitting in the dark to save money. Independent Age’s Keys to the Future report predicted the number of pensioners below the poverty line could rise to almost four million by 2040 if current trends continue. 

Read more:

• Pensioners in poverty are isolated and eating only one meal a day – they need help
• Revealed: Majority of PIP claimants with heart disease, arthritis and Crohn’s at risk of cuts
• The importance of PIP for disabled people has never been clearer

Lots of the people we support will hugely value the winter fuel payment being returned to them, but many of the people Independent Age speaks to were struggling to make ends meet before they lost this payment, so receiving it again sadly won’t transform their lives.  

Progress is being made. The recent Independent Water Commission recommended a national social tariff for England and a review to do similar in Wales. This is something Independent Age has been calling for in recent years and would bring down high water bills for people of all ages living on a low income. We also welcome the recently announced Pensions Commission and hope it brings about much needed change that will benefit the older people of tomorrow. But the outcomes of this commission won’t impact people currently in later life, and they too need change. 

In the short-term older people on low income need to see local housing allowance covering at least the cheapest 30% of local rents, financial support with their energy bills and a social security system that is simpler to navigate so they receive all the money they are entitled to. These policies would also benefit other age groups. 

Everybody can and should have an adequate income to give them the opportunity to live well with dignity, choice, and purpose. We cannot allow a hierarchy of need to crystalise, where one group is deemed more worthy of help than another. The younger people in poverty today are at risk of facing poverty in later life unless we act.  Division is dangerous – poverty is corrosive and needs to be tackled not only for those facing it directly but for our society as a whole.

Joanna Elson is chief executive at Independent Age. 

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