Recent publications and reports

Here are a selection of recent publications. Further papers are listed in the sections below.

 Agenda for Later Life report 2012, Policy priorities for active ageing - Chapter 3, Tackling need today, preventing poverty tomorrow (PDF 1.7MB)

Poverty and inequality

It's unacceptable that 1.8 million pensioners live in poverty and up to £5.5 billion of benefits go unclaimed each year.

We believe the Government should work with national and local organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors to set out a plan of action to eliminate pensioner poverty. To acheive this we need better state and private provision, and more needs to be done to ensure that older people receive their full entitlements - for example, by moving towards a system where benefits are paid automatically.

Age UK commissioned research to find out more about older people's day to day experiences of living on a low income. 

Read our report and learn more about our work on poverty and low income. 

Age UK commissioned the Pensions Policy Institute to model future levels of pensioner poverty under the current system and a range of different policy changes including reforms to state pensions:

Read about research model of pensioner poverty   

Private pensions

Only 40% of men, and 32% of women, are contributing to a private pension. Starting in 2012, employers will have to automatically enrol all eligible employees into a pension scheme and contribute on their behalf.

This is an essential step, but Age UK wants to see further action, with a review to assess how far current changes will meet future pensioners' needs.

Age UK submitted evidence to the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committe on automatic enrolment:

 Read our response on automatic enrolment 

It's important that people are able to make the most of their pension savings on retirement. Age UK has for some time been highlighting the problems of that people can have in getting a decent return on their savings if they have one or more small pension pots. We are therefore pleased that the Government has published a consultation paper on transfers and small pots.

  Read our response to the consultation on pension transfers and small pots

State Pensions

The UK State Pension is complicated, involves high levels of means-testing and results in low levels of support for many who have had limited employment opportunties due to caring responsibilities or low income levels, for example. There have been some positive changes which have made it easier for women and carers to build up State Pensions and Age UK strongly support the Government's decision to link increases in the basic State Pension to the higher of increases in earnings, prices (CPI), or 2.5% - the triple guarantee.

The Government has also published a paper proposing a single tier State Pension of around £140 a week for people retiring in the future. Age UK supports the aims of these reforms although we are emphasising the need to also look at provision for those already retired. In the March Budget the Chancellor confirmed that the Government would be setting out more details later in the spring.  

 Read our response to the Government's consultation on state pension reforms

If the Government changes are taken forward these will be in a future Pensions Bill. The last Pensions Bill is now the 2012 Pensions Act. This includes changes to the equalisation of state pension age and an increase in state pension age to 66 by October 2020 - this was delayed by six months campaiging by Age UK and others. For more information see our State pension age campaign. The Government is planning further increases to State Pension age in the future.

Benefits

In addition to the State Pension, many older people receive additional support from means-tested benefits such as Pension Credit and Council Tax Benefit, while those with disabilties can receive support such as Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance.

The Government has embarked on major reforms to the welfare system and the Welfare Reform Act has been agreed by Parliament. Changes include: replacing a range of income-related benefits and tax credits for people of working age with Universal Credit, replacing DLA with Personal Independence Payment and localising council tax support. Age UK is concerned about the impact that some of these changes will have on older people and those approacing retirement. One are of concern is around couples where one is over Pension Credit age and the other is younger. Under the planned change new claimants in the future could be considerable worse of as they will have to claim Universal Credit rather than Pension Credit.

See our press release on the impact on couples and

 Read our paper on couples where one is over and the other under pension creidt age   

The Government has asked for views on possible changes to help with mortage interest for people who are claiming means-tested benefits including Pension Credit.

Read our response to DWP paper on support for mortgage interest 

Age UK has responsed to a Government consultation on replacing entitlement to Council Tax Benefit with a local scheme of support for Council Tax in England. Age UK welcomes the proposed protection for pensioners within the scheme but has concerns - for example, because the scheme will be cash limited there will be no incentive to local authorities to encourage take-up. This and other papers can be found below.

 Read our response to the consultation on localising council tax support.

 Attendance Allowance and care reform - briefing (PDF 193KB)

 Age UK response to Department for Work and Pensions Call for Evidence on social fund reform (PDF 162KB)