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Pensioners in Ireland, North and South, fearful of cuts: new research funded by CARDI

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Date published: 
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
News source: 
CARDI
Region: 
Republic of Ireland
Northern Ireland
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As major public spending cuts loom there is considerable fear and anxiety amongst older people across Ireland, North and South, about the threat of reduced incomes, higher taxes and cuts in vital services according to research launched today (Wednesday, 20th October, 2010)  by the Centre for Ageing Research and Development (CARDIRobin Webster, CEO Age Action; Prof Paddy Hillyard, Queens University Belfast, Prof Davis Coakley, Co-Chair CARDI).

The research report Inequalities in Old Age: the impact of the recession on older people in Ireland, North and South led by Professor Paddy Hillyard, Emeritus Professor Queen’s University Belfast in partnership with Dr Maureen Lyons, University College Dublin was funded by CARDI’s all-Ireland ageing research grants programme. Click here for the research briefing paper
Speaking at the launch of the report Professor Hillyard said, “We found that the recession is having an impact on older people across Ireland, North and South. Many pensioners have significant concerns about the cuts in incomes and services that may lie ahead. Many who had looked forward to a comfortable old age are now fearful of facing financial hardship.
While substantial moves have been made in reducing pensioner poverty in the Republic of Ireland in recent years, this study underlines the need to safeguard this progress and ensure that those who are most vulnerable are protected in any proposed cuts.”
The report also revealed significant disparities in income and pensions amongst the older population across Ireland, North and South. Pensioners in Northern Ireland are found to be at significant risk of poverty in comparison to both their Republic of Ireland and UK counterparts.
“The study found that major inequalities exist amongst older people in Ireland, North and South. Single pensioners in Northern Ireland were found to be most at risk of poverty while older women across the island of Ireland have a slightly higher risk of poverty than men.
The findings show the importance of protecting at risk pensioners and addressing the inequalities that exist within the older population”, added Professor Hillyard. 
Key findings:
·         Older people across Ireland are worried about reduced or frozen incomes, higher taxes, cuts in services and charges for services that are now free.
·         The rate of pensioners in ROI at risk of poverty has fallen to 11.1% in 2008 but they depend heavily on the State pension for their income and cuts such as the ending of the Christmas Bonus are likely to cause hardship.
·         Pensioners in Northern Ireland are at a significant risk of poverty. In 2008/09 23% were deemed at risk of poverty compared with 16% in the UK and 11.1% in the Republic of Ireland.
·         Single pensioners living alone have a 28% risk of poverty.
·         The number of single pensioners at risk of poverty in NI has risen by 10,000 (57%) in the last six years and pensioner couples by 8,000 (26%).
·         Older women across the island of Ireland have a higher risk of poverty than men.
·         Women receive fewer and lower occupational pensions than men. The evidence suggests that the gap is growing.
·         Tax relief on pension contributions is heavily skewed towards the wealthier.
Professor Davis Coakley, Trinity College Dublin, Co-chair of CARDI commented, “CARDI welcomes this study which clearly illustrates the major and complex challenge of tackling inequalities in old age during a time of economic recession. It also underlines the value of conducting comparative research on an all-Island basis and the importance of understanding the issues that put older people at risk of poverty. CARDI is proud to support the work of researchers in establishing a solid evidence base on which more effective policy can be built to ensure that all older people in Ireland can look forward to a good old age.”  
The event also marked the launch of CARDI commissioned research on the Theories of Ageing and how they relate to pension and welfare provision for older people - authored by Dr Virpi Timonen and Dr Maria Pierce, Trinity College Dublin.
For more information:  
Nicola Donnelly, Communications Officer, CARDI. Tel: 00 353(0) 867927684, E: nicola@cardi.ie
 
About the research:
This research was carried out with funding from CARDI’s Grants Programme Call 2. The purpose of the study was to analyse the impact of the recession on older people in Northern Ireland (NI) and the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and the extent to which inequalities within the older population have been affected by the economic crisis.
Research Team:
Professor Paddy Hillyard, Emeritus Professor Queen’s University Belfast - lead researcher;
Dr Francesca Lundström, Research Consultant;
Dr Demi Patsios, Policy Research Consultant;
 Sarah Machniewski, Researcher;
David Taylor, Chartered Accountant and Management Consultant;
Dr Maureen Lyons, Research Manager, School of Social Justice, UCD.
Ageing in Ireland, North and South:
·         There were 717,000 people aged 65+ on the island of Ireland at the latest count (and one million aged 60+). Most of the growth in older people has been women.
·         In the Republic there will be 1.4 million people aged 65+ in 2041, three times more than now (462,000).
·         In the same year the number of people aged 65+ in NI will reach almost half a million (493,000), almost one quarter of the total population (24%).
·         In Ireland as a whole in 2041 there will be 1.89 million people aged 65+ and 2.43 million over 60, nearly one third of the population.
CARDI Grants Programme:
The programme aims to promote north-south research partnerships that bring together different subject areas to look at issues affecting older people in new ways. A focus of the programme is to support research that seeks to involve older people and to inform better policy making relating to ageing issues and older people. CARDI has to date provided funding for 18 research projects investigating ageing and details of the projects are available at www.cardi.ie

 

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