1.6m UK pensioners living in poverty

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Research published by charity ‘Age UK’ on Friday, reveals that poverty among UK pensioners is rife,with 1.6 million living below the poverty line and a startling 900,000 living in ‘severe poverty.’

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, says the sheer volume of vulnerable older people living in poverty in Britain is “nothing short of a scandal.” reports RT

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A large proportion of UK pensioners are “unable to afford decent food, heat their home or live an independent life – when billions of pounds in benefits are unclaimed,” she warns.

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Among the charity’s key recommendations is a call for clear targets to reduce poverty with a view to abolishing it altogether. Efforts must be made to increase pensioners’ awareness of their entitlements and ensure they have all the information they require, the report said.

Other policy recommendations include the immediate introduction of a single-tier state pension system, the extension of the “triple lock guarantee” to additional aspects of the state pension, and increased “social support” for financially struggling pensioners.

RT asked the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) how the government plans to tackle the issue. A spokesman claimed “there are many definitions of poverty,” adding the government’s commitment “to protect pensioners with the triple lock guarantee means the basic state pension is at the highest percentage of earnings since 1992.”

“We are absolutely determined to make sure that pensioners receive the full support they are entitled to with as little hassle as possible,” the spokesman added.

This report about UK pensioners living below the poverty line comes as revelations this week also show that financial inequality is rising

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