Age Action has welcomed research published today by the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice which highlights the need for the Government to address the financial hardship faced by pensioners living alone.

The research looks at the weekly costs needed for families to have an acceptable living standard, and then compares this to the social welfare payments they receive each week.  For the case study of a lone female pensioner aged over-70 the shortfall between what would be needed and what she received varied between €32.26 and €89.10, depending on her circumstances and whether or not she had a car.

While the financial situation of pensioner couples have improved between 2006 and 2008 due to increases in the State Pension and the qualified adult payments, the plight of pensioners has not improved substantially.

“This is the clearest argument yet for the Government to review its attitude to the Living Alone Allowance, which currently stands at €7.70 per week, but has not been increased since 1996,” Age Action spokesman Eamon Timmins said. 

“This payment was always intended to be an anti-poverty measure, in recognition of the fact that it costs almost as much for a lone pensioner to live, as it does for a couple.  Today’s research is further evidence of this.”

“The Government seems to have set its face against increasing the Living Alone Allowance.  But, with rising fuel and the soaring cost of living for pensioners,  this approach must be reviewed.  Unless pensioners living alone receive  a substantial increase in the Living Alone Allowance in the forthcoming Budget their financial plight will deepen further.”

If the gap between what it costs to have an acceptable standard of living, and what you are receiving, is up to €89.10 per week, then tough decisions have to be made each week.