Research by Age UK reveals pensioners are taking “drastic measures” to save money this winter, with one in 20 skipping meals and one in seven bathing or showering less frequently over winter
Pensioner Roger Cliffe-Thompson still works five days a week in a care home helping people with dementia.
The big-hearted 82-year-old says that, while his role as an activities co-ordinator is hugely rewarding, he also needs to do so to make ends meet.
Mr Cliffe-Thompson, who lives on Merseyside and used to work as a teacher in further education, says he could simply not get by on his state pension and the small private pension he receives. His outgoings include repayments on an interest only mortgage, which he is set to continue having to pay until he is 99.
But while having a mortgage at his age obviously means added financial strain, divorced Mr Cliffe-Thompson says other household bills have gone through the roof.
Having had a water meter fitted, he says he now goes to extra lengths to limit his usage to save money. “If I have a bath, I save the money rather than pull out the plug,” he said. “That way I can use it to flush the cistern.”
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Energy is another concern, and Mr Cliffe-Thompson says he tries to limit his use to £1.80 a day, although that crept up to £2.10 during the recent bitterly cold weather. “I have my heated blanket on at night because that runs at 3p an hour,” he explains, while vetting his frustration that the daily standing charge on energy means he gets clobbered before using anything.
Other financial hits have been on his car insurance where the quote, alarmingly, rocketed from less than £1,000 to £5,200 when he turned 80. He managed to shop around but it is still £1,200 a year.
“I think most pensioners are thrifty like me,” says Mr Cliffe-Thompson, but he bemoans the fact that companies and organisations almost force people to be internet savvy to get the best deals or even to have basic dealings. “But going on the internet takes a lot of effort,” he adds. “What society doesn’t understand is that we are not all used to gadgets and gizmos. It can be confusing.”
His experience echoes those of many older people as research by the charity Age UK found that a third of over-65s are using less electricity over the coldest months of the year to make ends meet, while 35% said they are turning their heating down to do this. It also discovered that around one in seven (15%) will have baths or showers less often this winter to get by financially, and a worrying one in 20 said they would be skipping meals because money is so tight.
It comes as the charity says about one in six – equivalent to 1.9 million – pensioners already live in poverty as it warned that unless things change, the numbers is set to pass the two million mark within the next few years.
Age UK’s “Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight” campaign is urging older people to check if they are entitled to extra financial support. The charity is strongly encouraging new and existing pensioners in 2026 to check what financial support they may be eligible for, including pension credit – which tops up people’s incomes to a minimum level and acts as a gateway to other financial help in later life. It said many older people miss out on financial support simply because they assume they will not qualify, or find it daunting and difficult to complete applications without help.
This year, Age UK is urging every new and existing pensioner to check their eligibility for pension credit and other pensioner benefits, make applications early, and encourage others to check their eligibility too.
Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: “As a country we need to do a lot more to tackle poverty among older people, a social ill set to worsen as our population ages we fear, unless something changes and soon.” She added: “In 2025, Age UK’s national advice line helped 6,006 older people with benefit checks and applying for benefits, identifying more than £36 million of support – averaging at £5,900 per person. This year our ambition is to exceed that if we can, because we know it’s one of the most important contributions we can make as a charity. For any older person trying to live on a small retirement income, every single pound counts and even a small weekly top-up could make a tangible difference.”
