A stark warning has been issued for nearly two million older people living on the state pension, with a leading charity stating they are already in poverty and millions more are making severe cutbacks to survive the winter.
Pensioners Forced to Choose Between Heating and Eating
New findings from the charity Age UK reveal the desperate measures being taken by pensioners across the country. Thirty-five per cent of over-65s are turning down their heating to make ends meet, while 33 per cent are using less electricity.
The survey, conducted in winter 2026, paints a grim picture of daily hardship. It found that 15 per cent of older people will have baths or showers less often to save money. Perhaps most alarmingly, one in 20 (five per cent) said they would need to skip meals due to financial pressure.
Poverty Figures Set to Pass Two Million Mark
Age UK states that around 1.9 million people receiving the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) state pension are currently living in poverty. The charity warns that without urgent intervention, this number is set to surpass the two million threshold in the coming years.
Caroline Abrahams CBE, charity director at Age UK, said the situation demands a national response. “As a country we need to do a lot more to tackle poverty among older people, a social ill set to worsen as our population ages we fear, unless something changes and soon,” she stated.
She emphasised the need for systemic change: “Ultimately, we need to move to a position in which older people on low incomes do not have to jump through hoops to claim extra help but are given it automatically.”
Urgent Call to Boost Pension Credit Take-Up
A key focus is Pension Credit, a vital top-up for those on the lowest retirement incomes. Ms Abrahams highlighted a worrying trend, noting its take-up has recently declined. “Successfully claiming Pension Credit can turn your finances around if you are an older person struggling on a low fixed income,” she explained.
“For any older person trying to live on a small retirement income, every single pound counts and even a small weekly top-up could make a tangible difference,” she added, urging anyone who reached State Pension age in 2026 or has been a pensioner longer to check their entitlement.
The charity’s national advice line is a critical lifeline. In 2025 alone, it assisted more than 6,000 older people with benefit applications, identifying over £36 million in unclaimed support – an average of £5,900 per person.
Age UK is encouraging anyone worried about covering winter costs to contact their free helpline on 0800 169 6565 for confidential advice and support.
