New report finds living alone 'increases the risk of dropping into poverty in retirement'

New research from the ESRI suggests that people nearing retirement and living alone are worse off than couples, and may struggle to get by financially.  Picture: PA

People living alone are at risk of not having enough to get by in retirement, according to new research by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).

The think tank tapped data from the Irish Longitudinal Study of Ageing, or Tilda, to show that people approaching retirement who are living by themselves are relatively worse off than married or cohabitating couples and could drop below the poverty line.