Pensioner tsar could help two million older people in poverty, ministers told

A pensioner tsar should be appointed to help pull two million older people out of poverty, ministers have been told.

Hiring a government commissioner to represent older people would also be in the interests of younger generations, argued MP Jo Gideon.

Ms Gideon, a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Aging and Old People, said the next government “must show leadership” to tackle the problem of pensioner poverty.

Speaking at an event in Parliament, she joined charity Independent Age in arguing for an advocate who could represent the interests of pensioners on a national level.

Independent Age is pushing for a UK-wide Commissioner for Older People and Aging to advocate for issues relating to pensioners and elderly people as it highlighted rising levels of pensioner poverty.

According to the organisation, there are about 350,000 more older people in poverty than in 2012/13 – amounting to more than two million overall.

The charity said the “damaging stereotype” that “everyone in later life is enjoying a comfortable retirement with a large pension pot” is not true.

Ms Gideon, MP for Stoke-on-Trent central, said the work to tackle this should be “led by UK commissioner for living and ageing well” – arguing that given “how endemic our ageist attitudes have I become concerned that a title that emphasising older people and aging will alienate some who see the issues as nothing to do with them”.

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She added: “The language we use and the expectations we have lends themselves to social tensions and intergenerational conflict. I’m sure you’ve all heard of older people being described as bed blockers and occupying houses needed by younger generations or taking their jobs.

“I think the next government needs to be aspirational […] because addressing the challenges of one generation addresses the challenges of others. It needs to create trust and communication across the narrow confines of work, housing, education, health and environment,” she said.

Independent Age Chief Executive Joanna Elson said the commissioner is needed to “give older people a voice”.

“In Wales and in Northern Ireland, they have a commissioner for older people very effectively. We don’t have one in England and we don’t have one in Scotland and we would really like to see that change,” she said.

“It would cost a very small amount of money and I think it could make a huge difference.”

The charity is pushing political parties to commit to introducing a commissioner to operate across the UK.

She also argued the debate on the future of the state pension triple lock, which has come under intense scrutiny over the soaring cost of maintain the pension, should be “put on hold until we’ve had that proper cross party look at what is an adequate income in later life”.

The triple lock maintains an annual state pension rise is linked to the highest between inflation, average earnings increase or 2.5 per cent.

There has been an ongoing debate as to whether this mechanism is sustainable in the long term given the pressure it can put on public finances.

Ms Elson said: “Almost every week, there is a debate in the press and elsewhere about the triple lock and there are debates about increasing pension age.

“We think those things should be put on hold until we’ve had that proper cross party look, what is an adequate income in later life?”

Lib Dem work and pensions spokesperson Wendy Chamberlain, who also spoke at the event, said committing to the state pension triple lock is important to provide security for future generations.

She said it is important for “young people who can’t get onto the housing ladder or [who have] less secure employment [can have] a state pension that they know they can look forward to”.

The Liberal Democrats and Conservative Party have both said they will keep the triple lock pledge in their election manifesto.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told i last week that he could not guarantee it will be in Labour’s election manifesto.