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Gordon Lishman, Director General of Age Concern, said:

"Such sharp rises in food prices will be worrying many pensioners who are already finding it difficult to make ends meet. The high cost of goods and services such as food, fuel bills, council tax and water rates are leaving many older people very short of cash. Many pensioners live on a low, fixed income and increases to the basic state pension in recent years have failed to keep pace with the escalating cost of living for the poorest older people.

"The Government should increase the basic state pension to at least £119 a week and do much more to get vital benefits cash to those who need it, so that pensioners have enough money to make ends meet.”

ENDS

Factfile:

• Despite high levels of pensioner poverty and rising bills, older people are more likely than any other group to miss out on benefits cash.
• Up to £4.6 billion in benefits is going unclaimed by some of the poorest and most vulnerable pensioners, because they don’t know that they are entitled, are worried about the complexity of the process or are embarrassed about claiming.
• Age Concern research shows 40% of over 65s feel that their social life is restricted by a lack of money and 41% say a holiday is unaffordable.
• Age Concern polling revealed that more than a third (35%) of people are worried that an older friend or relative is missing out on vital money benefits.

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