Suggestion elderly faring better amid recession rejected

Two organisations representing older people have rejected a contention that elderly people in Ireland have fared better during the recession.

Responding to the CSO’s survey on income and living conditions suggesting older people have suffered less financially than other groups in the downturn, Age Action said a 5 per cent drop in income from 2009-2011 for over-65s combined with the rise in poverty “only shows part of the difficulties which many older people are currently facing”.

“On the other side of the equation, there are new charges and rising prices which have to be met from these declining incomes,” said the organisation’s head of communications, Eamon Timmins.

“Taxes, charges and costs have escalated since these statistics were gathered, leaving many older people seriously struggling to make ends meet.”

Meanwhile, co-ordinator for Ictu’s retired workers’ committee, Michael O’Halloran, said “older people have had their share of cuts”.

“My concern is that poorer older people are getting done and their voices are not loud enough,” he said.

Age Action noted that consistent poverty levels rose from 1.1 per cent in 2009 to 1.9 per cent in 2011 while the deprivation rate went from 9.5 per cent to 11.3 per cent.

Mr Timmins said older people with declining incomes have to pay for “unavoidable elements of their cost of living” such as the property tax and “soaring” energy prices.

Budget looms

Age Action noted a number of older people told them they had had to choose between food and fuel throughout last spring and winter, adding the Government must address these issues in October’s budget.

Ictu’s Mr O’Halloran said while income for over-65s decreased less than for the rest of the adult population, the reduction had a much higher detrimental effect because their incomes are lower.

“People who are on higher incomes in percentage terms may have lost more but they had the margin to lose it,” he said. “It [lower income] has a disproportionate effect on older people because they have so little anyway.”

Mr O’Halloran said the Government needs to take all these factors into account in the upcoming budget.

A St Vincent De Paul (SVP) survey published in September 2011 found that having enough money to live on was a major issue for older people. Those who received the State pension told the charity it did not permit for saving and that they were “just able to manage”.

The Christmas bonus had previously been saved by many for emergencies and appliances repairs. SVP noted it’s abolition was “still bitterly resented”.