Ongoing research at The University of Manchester into the long-term poverty faced by many older people has contributed to the Government announcing changes to the Winter Fuel Payment today.
The payment is a welfare benefit previously paid directly to all pensioners to help with their fuel costs, which was restricted in 2024 to older people in receipt of Pension Credit.
An estimated 2.2 million (19%) of older people (aged 66 years and older) live in relative income poverty, and many have unmet care needs. 12% of older people live in persistent poverty. Evidence suggests that the changes to the Winter Fuel Payment were going to leave many more older people in poverty, which would put their health and well-being at risk.
As one research participant aged 79 commented: "May be some of us will die after the end of the Winter Fuel Payment. Like in the Covid pandemic, we don't matter!"
Whilst the changes to the Winter Fuel Payment had led to an increase in applications for Pension Credit, many older people had still not made a claim. This is despite the fact that being awarded Pension Credit also gives access to a range of other welfare support.
A number of interlinked factors are associated with the lack of take-up of welfare benefits such as Pension Credit, including: awareness, not recognising being in need, fear and a lack of trust, the complexity of the application process, stigma and embarrassment and concerns about having money taken away.
In relation to claiming welfare benefits, one interviewee aged 74 stated: "I don't like anyone thinking I'm on benefits."
The research led by Dr Kingsley Purdam was presented to the Department for Work and Pensions earlier this year.
