Autumn Statement: Reaction From Age Scotland

The right decision on State Pension, benefits and cost of living support for low income older people, but many older people in need of help miss out on targeted support.

Commenting on the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, Age Scotland’s head of policy Adam Stachura said:

“There is a lot to welcome in the Autumn Statement for older people, especially pensioners on low and modest incomes. Reinstating the triple lock on the state pension and boosting social security payments by inflation is the right thing to do and we are glad that the Chancellor has listened to the thunderous calls for this to happen. It will be a significant help to Scottish pensioners, particularly the near half a million who are wholly or largely reliant on the State Pension to survive.

“But we must remember that the UK Government’s decision to cancel the triple lock linked pension rise last year meant that those with the least have been left so far behind in their battle to keep up with surging energy, food and living costs. Even as the State Pension increases with inflation from April, far too many people will still be playing catch up.

“The future ‘cost of living payments’ will of course be a big help to people on the lowest incomes and who are already in the social security system, but it shows that much more work is needed from the UK and Scottish governments to boost uptake of unclaimed benefits so that the hundreds of thousands who aren’t yet getting what they are entitled to are now included.

“Life will still be very tough for too many older people in the coming months and year. As the Energy Price Guarantee rises by £500, the general £300 for pensioners still leaves a sizeable gap for many, such as the large number of low income pensioners who are just over the Pension Credit threshold. This demonstrates a pretty unfair place to draw the line for targeted support.”