Two-thirds of single pensioners have to get by on less than £200 a week, finds official report

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

The numbers highlight the daily battle elderly people face trying to meet soaring bills on meagre incomes.

Nearly two-thirds of single pensioners are having to get by on incomes of less than £10,000 a year, the figures showed.

45 per cent of pensioner couples received less than £15,000, according to the Office for National Statistics

Pensions are providing people with only modest incomes, with 61 per cent of single pensioners receiving less than £10,000 a year from them during 2006/200.

45 per cent of pensioner couples received less than £15,000, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The ONS also re-issued figures on pension income for the previous year after withdrawing them when a 'significant error' was uncovered.

The previous findings, which were branded a 'national disgrace' by pensioner groups, showed that half of all single pensioners were scrapping by on less than £6,000.

But the re-stated figures increase the level of income people received from private pensions during the year by around four times.

They show that instead of receiving an average of just £2,115 from private pensions during the year, couples actually got £9,607.

Estimates for private pension income for single men was revised up from £1,553 to £6,272, while for single women it increased from an average of £1,238 to £5,137.

The income pensioners received from state benefits and the state pension were also raised slightly.

The figures for 2006/2007 showed that two-thirds of pensioner households had a private pension, such as an occupational one, generating an average income of £11,059 for pensioner couples, £6,812 for single men and £5,519 for single women.

But 64 per cent of single women who received a private pension got less than £5,000 from it during the year, as did 58 per cent of single men and 39 per cent of couples.

The majority of people had their income topped up by state benefits, such as the state pension and other related benefits.

Pensioner couples received an average of £10,191 from the state in 2006/2007, while single men got £6,911 and single women received an average of £6,700.