Nearly 1m UK pensioners living in deprivation, official figures show

Separately, a report by the Fabian Society suggests the number of people over 60 living in poverty who are not yet eligible for a state pension has tripled since the Conservatives came to power in 2010.

Sasjkia Otto, a senior researcher at the Fabian Society, said: “This silent crisis was caused by government policy decisions, so ministers should take responsibility for finding solutions.

The figures suggest the number of older people experiencing hardship has risen by more than a third since before the pandemic, although the DWP advises against making a direct comparison with the Covid-19 period because data collection was affected by restrictions.

The figures demonstrating the extent of deprivation among older people in the UK contrasts with the controversy about the cost of the pension triple lock, which was introduced by the coalition government in 2011-12.

The former Tory leader William Hague described the policy as a “runaway train” that was creating a dangerous social and political situation by denying younger generations a fair stake in the economy.

“Now their reckless £46bn unfunded proposal to cut national insurance risks leaving pensioners even worse off with their refusal to say how they will pay for their plan or whose taxes will have to go up.