Author Topic: 300,000 more pensioners living in poverty  (Read 31219 times)

Michaelt

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 199
300,000 more pensioners living in poverty
« on: Mar 05, 2019, 11:06:41 AM »





300,000 more pensioners living in poverty

Published on 04 December 2017 11:51 AM





Britain's record on tackling poverty has reached a turning point and is at risk of unravelling, following the first sustained rises in pensioner and child poverty for two decades, according to a new report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Almost 300,000 more pensioners and 400,000 more children are now living in poverty than in 2012/13. Since that year, there have been continued increases in poverty, across both age groups. Very little progress has been made in reducing poverty among working-age adults too.
The warning comes in a state of the nation report by the independent Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), the leading authority on poverty in the UK. UK Poverty 2017 examines how UK poverty has changed over the last 20 years, providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date picture of the challenges and prospects facing low income families in modern Britain.
Campbell Robb, chief executive of the independent Joseph Rowntree Foundation, emphasised how worrying the current situation is. He said: 'Political choices, wage stagnation and economic uncertainty mean that hundreds of thousands more people are now struggling to make ends meet. This is a very real warning sign that our hard-fought progress is in peril.
'Action to tackle child and pensioner poverty has provided millions of families with better living standards and financial security. However record employment is not leading to lower poverty, changes to benefits and tax credits are reducing incomes and crippling costs are squeezing budgets to breaking point. The Budget offered little to ease the strain and put low income households' finances on a firmer footing.
'As we prepare to leave the EU, we have to make sure that our country and our economy works for everyone and doesn't leave even more people behind.'Rising pensioner povertyIn 1994/95, 28% of pensioners lived in poverty, falling to 13% in 2011/12 - a fall achieved by extra help for poorer pensioners.
Following the financial crisis of 2007/8 poverty rates remained stable. A combination of benefit policies and spells of low inflation helped negate the worst effects of the downturn for the least well-off pensioners.
But changes to welfare policy - especially since the 2015 Budget – are reducing households' financial breathing space.
Pensioner poverty rates rose to 16% last year suggesting previous progress tackling poverty is at risk of being lost without immediate action. 14 million people live in poverty in the UK – over one in five of the population - including 1.9 million pensioners.Without government action, pensioner poverty could continue to riseCaroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, agreed that these signs of rising pensioner poverty are extremely worrying.
She said: 'With one in six pensioners (around 1.9 million) now living in poverty, not including the many thousands more who are just above this threshold and still struggling to make ends meet, the Government clearly needs to do far more. Unless action is taken quickly, poverty among the older generation could continue to escalate, undermining all of the progress that's been made following the introduction of measures such as the pension credit and triple lock.
'Clearly the time for complacency is over and there can be no doubt that, given the current situation, the state pension remains a vital tool in the fight against pensioner poverty, giving millions of older people a small element of financial security in an increasingly uncertain world.£3.5 billion of money benefits for older people still go unclaimedAbrahams continued: 'It's hard to believe but despite such high number of pensioners living in and just above the poverty line, as much as £3.5 billion in money benefits remains unclaimed by older people every year.

Diasi

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13480
Re: 300,000 more pensioners living in poverty
« Reply #1 on: Mar 05, 2019, 11:14:18 AM »
The working families who are just about managing are called JAMs.

Are pensioners who are in the threshold income trap TITs ?
Make every day count, each day is precious.
"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal".  (Cassandra)

fortyone

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12691
Re: 300,000 more pensioners living in poverty
« Reply #2 on: Mar 05, 2019, 11:16:31 AM »
The problem with all of these reports is how is poverty defined. Usually it is framed as some percentage of average income. As some must always be under any given average - for instance probably half the people on this site are below (or above) average intelligence then poverty so defined can never be removed from society.


I think most people today are far better off than, for example, my grandfather. He had been a regular soldier and served before and after the great war. After leaving the army he was caught up in the great depression and had no work nor any so far as I know government assistance for more than 10 years. I did ask how he, my grandmother, and their child my father survived. He never did give much in the way of explanation but it seemed to me that poaching and scavenging deadwood for sale made up most of the income doubtlessly accompanied by a bit of petty theft.

Undercover Pensioner

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2900
Re: 300,000 more pensioners living in poverty
« Reply #3 on: Mar 05, 2019, 11:22:11 AM »
The problem with all of these reports is how is poverty defined. …



Which sort of poverty is acceptable 41?
The vote for Brexit was a vote to take back what we hadn't lost in order to lose what we actually have.

Michaelt

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 199
Re: 300,000 more pensioners living in poverty
« Reply #4 on: Mar 05, 2019, 11:53:35 AM »
fortyone.  Actually the real issue isnt poverty among the elderly.  The real issue is the level of State pension in this country that has already been paid for via a working life of contributing to it, even millionaire pensioners have the right to a decent level of basic State pension .


We have pensioners using food banks in this country, and this is disgusting.


We can argue poverty all day and all night, which im not about to do.


Every single person in this country of retirement age has the right to a decent level of basic State pension.  Its not rocket science.  Its just the way it should be...

Michael Rolls

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 72679
Re: 300,000 more pensioners living in poverty
« Reply #5 on: Mar 05, 2019, 11:56:37 AM »
I totally agree with 41 - the definition of poverty is utterly idiotic (which does NOT mean that there aren't poor people). Because it is based on a percentage of the average income when the average income rises in the short term MORE people are regarded as being in poverty. How daft is that?
Mike
Thank you for the days, the days you gave me.
The older I get, the better I was!

Michaelt

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 199
Re: 300,000 more pensioners living in poverty
« Reply #6 on: Mar 05, 2019, 12:06:36 PM »
Well said Michael.  The real issue is the level of State pension in this country. There can be no speculation about this.  It's far too low.

fortyone

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12691
Re: 300,000 more pensioners living in poverty
« Reply #7 on: Mar 05, 2019, 12:06:49 PM »
Unfortunately state pension is paid from current taxation. You don't build up a pension pot over a working lifetime you just get paid what the government feels it can get away with at the time you retire. More money for us = more tax for all (including a lot of us).


It may well be wrong that those pensioners who were unable or simply didn't make private provision to top up state pensioners need to rely on state benefits to top up their income. At least that option is available these days and wasn't in the past so that must be considered an advance. At some time in the future it may even come about that all pensioners will get a state pension they can actually live on but it won't be any time soon and moaning about it won't make it so. Nor will electing a government that promises it because to deliver it right now will involve considerably higher taxes and those that actually generate wealth will make damned sure they don't pay vastly higher taxes in one way or another.


It's a wrong I really can't see being fixed. It is by no means the only such wrong.

Michaelt

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 199
Re: 300,000 more pensioners living in poverty
« Reply #8 on: Mar 05, 2019, 12:13:21 PM »
fortyone.   It so happens that for decades British Government's use less of our GNP to fund our vital services than Western Europe spend on their vital services, including State pensions.  My source is the OECD.  Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.


If income taxes have to increase so we can hold our heads up in the world and say we look after our elderly people in dignity, then so be it.  In doing this we will also be looking after ourselves in the future while we are paying NI contributions and incomes taxes.

fortyone

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12691
Re: 300,000 more pensioners living in poverty
« Reply #9 on: Mar 05, 2019, 12:15:21 PM »
As I said I can't see it being fixed though.

Michaelt

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 199
Re: 300,000 more pensioners living in poverty
« Reply #10 on: Mar 05, 2019, 12:58:23 PM »
Answer your own question as to why you cant see it being fixed ?

Bobcat

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 879
Re: 300,000 more pensioners living in poverty
« Reply #11 on: Mar 05, 2019, 01:01:55 PM »
Quote
We have pensioners using food banks in this country, and this is disgusting.

I dispute this "fact". A retired couple living in rented accommodation with no private pension would have their rent and council tax paid and a guaranteed pension credit income of £248.80 per week, surely most can feed and keep themselves warm on this income !!

Michaelt

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 199
Re: 300,000 more pensioners living in poverty
« Reply #12 on: Mar 05, 2019, 01:08:10 PM »
Bobcat, you can dispute it all you like, its a fact.     


You generalise on a situation some people may be in, and that solves your conscience.




Bobcat

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 879
Re: 300,000 more pensioners living in poverty
« Reply #13 on: Mar 05, 2019, 01:13:58 PM »
If it is a "fact" then give me a reputable source. A fact is only a fact if it is substantiated. Explain why a couple who have an income of almost £250 per week (after rent and council tax) have to use a food bank ??

fortyone

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12691
Re: 300,000 more pensioners living in poverty
« Reply #14 on: Mar 05, 2019, 01:18:07 PM »
Answer your own question as to why you cant see it being fixed ?
I wasn't asking a question I was giving an opinion. It may be wrong but opinions require no backup from other sources. Unlike your assertion about pensioners needing food banks which certainly does as Bobcat (one of our few leftwing leaning members) has already requested.