1.1 million women pensioners live in poverty, yet half a million eligible women pensioners are missing out on Pension Credit which could transform their lives

New Age UK analysis of DWP data has found that despite the rise in women’s State Pension age, meaning that the numbers of female pensioners in the UK have fallen by 740,000 since 2010-11[i], the numbers of women living in poverty have stayed steady at 1.1 million.[ii]

Age UK warns this is a failure of policy and practice that the Government must take action to address. It is also a reminder to support any older women who are struggling to make ends meet and check they aren’t missing out on entitlements that are lawfully theirs - sums that could make a tangible difference to their lives.

An older woman’s financial position is generally linked to their circumstances over their lifetime, as well as being partly determined by the costs they face today.  On average, women have lower individual retirement incomes than men, reflecting their lower average earnings and time out of the labour market or working part-time, raising children and/or providing care to older and disabled relatives or friends. 

Ahead of Mother’s Day and as part of Age UK’s Crisis Hidden in Plain Sight campaign, Age UK urges families and friends to check in with their older loved ones, older women especially, and encourage them to claim Pension Credit and other entitlements for which they may be eligible. This is all the more important if these older women are struggling with the relentlessly high cost of living. Pension Credit tops up older people’s income to a minimum level and acts as a gateway to other forms of financial help too.

Successfully claiming Pension Credit can transform an older person’s life, yet sadly 1 million eligible pensioners are missing out on it[iii].  And the situation seems to be getting worse: in the most recent year for which figures are available, the DWP’s own analysis found that take-up of Pension Credit actually went down rather than up. 

The same analysis[iv] also found that there had been a substantial increase – an additional 120,000 – in the numbers of pensioner families which were not receiving the Pension Credit for which they are eligible.  There was also a substantial rise in the average amount pensioners were missing out on, from £37 to £50 per week, bringing the overall amount of unclaimed to £2.1 billion.

The latest available statistics[v] show nearly 2 in 5 of those pensioner families eligible to claim Pension Credit – 38%, equivalent to 1 million pensioners[vi] – are missing out on average £2600 per year[vii], with many also not accessing the other benefits for which Pension Credit acts as a gateway. These include council tax discount, help with energy costs, a free TV licence for over 75s and more. This extra money could make an enormous difference to an older person’s quality of life, enabling them to stay warm and well through the winter.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) estimates[viii] that there are 470,000 single women not receiving the Pension Credit they are entitled to. It is notable that these figures are far higher than the numbers of single men (150,000) and pensioner couples (200,000) who are missing out.

Ahead of annual April price increases, Age UK urges every pensioner to do three things:  

• Check eligibility for Pension Credit and other pensioner benefits. 
• Apply early -you can apply up to 4 months before you reach State Pension age. 
• Encourage others to check too, especially anyone you know who is on a low income or struggling with energy and food costs. 

The Charity also urges the public to donate to Age UK to help the Charity to support older people who are struggling financially.

Age UK offers a free, confidential Advice Line service for older people, their families, friends, carers and professionals.  During the last week of December and first two weeks of January, cold weather and its impacts was one of the topics most callers rang about.  During these three weeks, Age UK received 1879 calls relating to benefits, cost of living and money queries alone.

In January 2026, the Age UK Benefits Team completed 538 benefit entitlement checks, of which 66% related to older people who were found to be entitled to benefits. They identified an average of £6,593 potential extra annual income per person for those eligible – a life changing amount in many cases.  The total amount of benefits identified in January 2026 for older people by Age UK’s Advice Line was an extraordinary £3,205,092.

Caroline Abrahams CBE, Charity Director at Age UK said: “As Mother’s Day approaches, and with the Middle East conflict potentially threatening higher prices for energy and other essentials further down the track, there’ll never be a better time for older women to check whether they are missing out on financial entitlements that could ease their anxieties about making ends meet.

“At Age UK we are proud of the millions in Pension Credit and other benefits which we help older people to claim each month, but it shouldn’t be down to us to ensure they get their due. We urge the Government to keep working at reforming the system, with the aim of reaching a position in which older people can get the help they need without having to jump through hoops and put in a claim. This may sound far-fetched but as technology advances and Government data systems work together more effectively than they do today, it should become possible in time.

“However, for now, the onus is on all of us to look out for the older women we know as family and friends, especially if they’re struggling financially, and encourage them to check their entitlements.

“Many older women are intensely self-reliant, reluctant to ask for help, and conscious that there are others who may be worse off than they are. That’s why some gentle prompting to look into their eligibility for Pension Credit from those they trust is so important. It could make the difference between an older woman having to worry constantly about money on the one hand, and living a comfortable and peaceful life on the other.

“In the face of the latest worrying figures showing Pension Credit take up going down rather than up, the Government must also clearly do more to raise public awareness and support older men and older women who may be eligible to claim. There is absolutely no room for complacency.”

Age UK urges anyone who’s struggling and worried to contact Age UK on 0800 169 6565 or visit www.ageuk.org.uk/benefits for support. The Advice Line is open 365 days a year (8am – 7pm). Local Age UKs also offer tailored services and support. To find your nearest visit: Age UK services in your area 

Winter can be one of the toughest times of the year for millions of older people who are struggling with health conditions, poverty and living on their own.  As part of Age UK’s Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight campaign, the Charity urges the public to donate so it can support those in most need – especially as the cost of living remains high.