‘They aren’t really surviving’: Hackney Foodbank warns of huge surge in pensioners asking for help

A long queue outside Hackney Foodbank. Photograph: Kristian Buus

The number of over-65s turning to Hackney Foodbank for help has shot up by 95 per cent in the past year, the charity has warned.

Some pensioners are “surviving on as little as £37 per week”, according to the Foodbank, and report that they are feeling incresaingly anxious and isolated as a result.

Lara Callaway, a caseworker for the charity, said: “Poverty has a huge impact on the older people we see. If you haven’t got money, you can’t go out and do anything – all you can do is be at home and survive.

“Older age is when you have time to see your friends and do nice things. People who have worked hard for much of their lives are struggling.

“They aren’t really surviving – they’re getting into arrears and are experiencing severe mental health issues like anxiety and depression.”

The Foodbank has been supporting people with fuel vouchers and, in partnership with Cadent Gas, by giving out electric blankets and kits that include draft excluders and insulation to make homes more energy-efficient.

New figures from the Office for National Statistics show that life expectancy for the average person in Hackney has fallen.

A man born in the borough between 2020 and 2022 is expected to live 14.4 months less than one born a decade ago.

Women are expected to live 11.7 months less than those born a decade ago.

Health experts say poverty, long NHS waits, the impact of Covid, and a rise in obesity are to blame.

Elsewhere in London, such as in Richmond upon Thames and Wandsworth, average male life expectancy has increased.

Callaway said: “Poverty undoubtedly has an impact on physical and mental health and that in turn could reduce life expectancy.

“We’ve seen so many pensioners lately – the high price of gas and electricity is one of the biggest reasons they’re coming in. We meet people who are sitting in the cold all day and skipping meals.

“Many are living in social housing that’s drafty and damp – they often don’t have carpets. We meet older people who, after paying for gas and electricity, are surviving on as little as £37 per week.”

The UK pension age is currently 66, but it is set to rise to 67 between May 2026 and March 2028, and to 68 from 2044.

Those born after April 1970 may not be able to claim their pension until the age of 71. Those eligible for a state pension need to have paid National Insurance contributions for enough qualifying years.

Those on a low income may be entitled to pension credit even if they don’t receive a state pension.

Find out more at gov.uk/pension-credit.