Pensioners and Poverty

Pensioner poverty in Scotland has been rising with around 15% of pensioners in Scotland experiencing poverty.

There are 31,485 people in West Lothian receiving the state pension. Of these, 3,787 (12%) receive Pension Credits to ensure a minimum income. This rate is equal to the Scottish level.

The report by the Living Wage Foundation, Life on a Low Pension, shows that in the UK, 54% of people on a low pension are sometimes or always struggling to keep up with bills and credit commitments.

Too Little, Too Late by Independent Age, tells us that about 225,000 pensioners in the UK receiving Pension Credit continue to live in poverty - this makes up 20% of Pension Credit recipients.

The number of pensioners claiming means tested top-up benefit Pension Credit has noticeably decreased in West Lothian since 2012, and take-up rate has continued to fall over the last five years. This may be due to lack of awareness of entitlement or reluctance to claim as there is an estimated £5 million unclaimed Pension Credit in West Lothian alone.