Elderly are better off in Romania than Britain: Shock UK pensioner poverty statistics

BRITAIN's pensioners are some of the worst off in the EU and are at a greater risk of falling into poverty than those in Eastern Europe. 

Currently there are 1.7million living below the breadline [GETTY]

Some 15 countries come ahead of the UK when it comes to levels of poverty in the over-65s, according to a new report by the International Longevity Centre (ILC-UK).
The UK is performing worse than countries like Romania, Poland and Latvia, despite being the second richest in the Union.
A failing state pension system and low employment later in life has left 1.7million OAPs living below the breadline, experts say.
Some 16.1 per cent of British pensioners live in relative poverty, while Romania has just 15.4 per cent and Latvia has 13.9 per cent.
Germany, Austria, Spain, Denmark, Poland, Ireland, France, Norway, Slovakia, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic, Hungary and the Netherlands are all performing better than the UK.
Austerity cutbacks have meant those aged between 50 and 65 are struggling to remain in jobs until pensionable age, leaving them with less time to save for the future.
As many as 1.5 million over-50's were pushed out of work over the last eight years due to a combination of redundancy, ill health or forced early retirement, according to research by the Prince of Wales' Initiative for Mature Enterprises.
A spokeswoman for ILC-UK, said: “We could learn a lot from Europe, which is why we used the report to compare ourselves with our neighbours.
“The state pension is being squeezed and it is difficult for people to keep saving when earnings aren’t rising but their costs are increasing.”
Charities have called for the government to do more to support those in need.

It’s scandalous that so many older people in the UK are living in poverty and unable to afford decent food or a warm home

Caroline Abrahams

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, said: “It’s scandalous that so many older people in the UK are living in poverty and unable to afford decent food or a warm home. Many pensioners live on very low, fixed incomes and have been walking a tightrope in recent years as food and utility bills have escalated.
“The government must do more to get vital money benefits to those who need extra support but a comprehensive national strategy is also urgently needed.”
The report, which will be released by ILC-UK next week, also shows the UK state pension is only 31.9 per cent of the average wage, meaning middle-income earners will experience a sharp drop in their standard of living if they have no other provisions.
Government sources argue the UK has a different system, with a focus on private pensions.
Experts argue that the poorest, who have no savings, are being let down.
Pensions expert Ros Altmann said: “The UK has one of the lowest state pensions in the developed world. “We rely heavily on private pensions but those who don’t have the chance to save, who maybe lose their job or, like many women, don’t have the chance to generate a larger state pension, are left living in poverty.
“If you can’t work you lose twice over. You have no income and you have no opportunity to save for the future.”
The Department of Work and Pensions are switching to a less complicated single-tier pension system as of next year in a bid to ensure the elderly receive what they are entitled to.
Auto-enrolment, where people automatically join a company pension scheme when they start a new job, was also introduced by the Coalition two years ago.
Minister for Pensions Steve Webb said:  “The Triple Lock means the basic State Pension is now at the highest percentage of earnings since 1992 – and we are helping today’s workers to save for a comfortable retirement with 4.7m workers now automatically enrolled into a workplace pension.“To help older workers, we have extended the right to flexible working, outlawed forced retirement and our Fuller Working Lives initiative is challenging outdated stereotypes.”