Pension rise is 'much too little, much too late'

New figures from the Office for National Statistics show inflation at five per cent which will result in a rise in the Basic State Pension of just £4.54 for single pensioners and £7.26 for couples.

Although five per cent is large by the standards of recent years, Help the Aged fear the rise totally fails to reflect the dramatic increases pensioners are facing in food and fuel charges.

Mervyn Kohler, Special Adviser for Help the Aged, says: ‘The increase in the full Basic State Pension for next year, based on today's new inflation rate, is going to be much too little, much too late for millions of pensioners.

Measly increases in the pension over the last few years have caused a crisis situation - 2.5 million pensioners already live in poverty.

‘Research released last week showed that in reality, our oldest and poorest pensioners face an inflation rate of around nine per cent, far higher than the general rate of inflation. With inflation sky-rocketing and the increase in the Basic State Pension not coming into effect for another six months, many older people will be forced to cut back on essential items to get through the winter.

‘Measly increases in the pension over the last few years have caused a crisis situation - 2.5 million pensioners already live in poverty. The Government needs to implement a crisis response, and provide our poorest pensioners with more cash help now.'