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During 2005-06, where the head of the household was aged 65 and over, a higher proportion of money was spent on housing, fuel and food (26% of expenditure) than in other households (19%). (20)

Pensioners living alone who are mainly dependent on state pensions spend the highest proportion of income on necessities: in the period 2003-04 to 2005-06, on average 41.2% of their expenditure went on housing, fuel and food. (21)

In 2005-06, one-adult retired households mainly dependent on state pensions spent £22.10 per week on food, compared with £22.50 for single non-retired households. (the commodity and service categories are not comparable with those in publications before 2001-02). (22)

In 2005-06, of pensioners mainly dependent on state pensions and living alone:
– 87% had central heating, compared to 95% of all households
– 33% had a mobile phone, compared to 86% of all households
– 89% had a washing machine, compared to 98% of all households
– 56% had a CD player, compared to 91% of all households
– 81% had a microwave oven, compared to 93% of all households
– 28% had a car, compared to 77% of all households
(‘all households’ relates to households without children). (23)

Sources of data used

(20) Family spending: a report on the 2005-2006 Expenditure and Food Survey, National Statistics © Crown Copyright 2007, table A12 (Household expenditure as a percentage of total expenditure by age of household reference person).
www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_social/
Family_Spending_2005-06/Familyspending2005-06.pdf
(21) Ibid, table A26 (Expenditure of one person retired households mainly dependent on state pensions by gross income quintile group).
(22) Ibid, table A25 (Expenditure by household composition).
(23) Ibid, table A51 (Percentage of households with durable goods…); table A52 (Percentage of households with cars…).

Data from Government sources reproduced under the terms of the Click-Use licence.