'Welsh pensioners have UK's highest debts' report

Responding to reports that Welsh pensioners are struggling with the UK's highest debt levels, Age Cymru's Director of Influencing and Programme Development  Victoria Lloyd says:

"With an estimated 119,000 older people in Wales living in poverty, an estimated £5.5 billion in benefits going unclaimed by older people across the UK, and the recent sharp increases we've seen in the cost of living, it's more important than ever that older people are getting all the benefits that they are entitled to receive.

"Retirement should be a happy time of life, not one spent  living hand to mouth and Age Cymru would advise anyone who may be finding it hard to make ends meet to contact their local Age Cymru or Citizens Advice Bureau or Age Concern to establish if they are entitled to extra benefits,  and get help to claim them.

"This report  also highlights the pressing need for a coordinated strategy and approach from the Welsh Government and UK Government to reduce pensioner poverty and this must include a long-term commitment to progressively reducing poverty year-on-year."