Older people ‘forced to skip meals’ during winter, charity warns
Many older people are being forced to take “drastic measures” to save money this winter, such as skipping meals, using less heating or taking fewer showers, Age UK has warned.
The charity’s research shows that a third (33 per cent) of over-65s say they have used less electricity to make ends meet this winter, while 35 per cent say they have cut back on heating.
Nearly one in seven (15 percent) said they would bathe or shower less often, and one in 20 (five percent) said they would skip meals.
The charity adds that around 1.9 million older people already live in poverty, and this figure will exceed the two million mark in the coming years if no action is taken.
Age UK said it was strongly encouraging new and existing pensioners in 2026 to check what financial support they may be eligible for this year, launching a ‘crisis hiding in plain sight’ campaign.
The charity found that many older people are missing out on financial support because they think they won’t qualify or find it daunting and difficult to complete applications without help.
Caroline Abrahams CBE, director of charity Age UK, said: “As a country, we need to do much more to tackle poverty among older people, a social ill we fear will get worse as our population ages unless something changes soon.
“Ultimately, we need to move to a position where low-income older people don’t have to jump through hoops to claim extra help, it will be provided automatically.”
The charity chief has called on the government to ‘turbocharge’ its move to take out pension loans to ensure no pensioner is left deprived.
This is a benefit for retirees whose weekly income is below a certain amount. Their income will be increased up to £218.15 a week if they are single, or £332.95 a week for partners.
The DWP describes pension credit as a “passport” benefit that opens the door to more financial aid than just top-ups. This includes housing benefit, mortgage support, free TV license and finally winter fuel payment.
Nearly £1.6bn worth of pension credit will remain unclaimed in 2025/26, leaving more than 750,000 pensioners without it, research group Policy in Practice recently predicted.
Ms Abrahams said: “If you are an older person struggling with a low fixed income, successfully claiming Pension Credit could turn your financial situation around, but the reality is that, on current figures, uptake of this credit has decreased rather than increased recently.”
“For any older person trying to live on a small retirement income, every pound counts and even a small weekly top-up can make a tangible difference, so if you reach State Pension age in 2026 or have been retired for longer and haven’t yet explored what you can claim, please contact Age UK to check your entitlement. We’re here to help.”
