Older people struggling with high energy costs and food bills, survey finds

Delivering Alone's pre-budget submission at  Government Buildings were Maura Pettifer, Willie Bermingham Place, centre, with Alone communications officer Grainne Loughran and chief executive Sean Moynihan. Picture: Arthur Carron

Older people have said they cannot afford to turn on heat at home, with one person’s electricity bill €300 higher than their monthly pension, a cost-of-living survey from charity Alone has found.

The organisation, which helps older people to age at home, found 75% of those surveyed said their standard of living had been reduced by the cost-of-living crisis, with 11% preferring not to comment.

Heating and energy bills caused most anxiety, with 46% saying this was their main concern.

Food prices and household maintenance are also causing worries, with one in 10 saying they were worried about all their costs.

One contributor said: “My house is heated by coal. It increased to €30 per bag which I can't afford. I don't light my fire until 6 o’clock and the house is very cold, no warm water either.” 

Another said: “I use less heat and buy less food” while another said: “I have spent my life insurance on bills in the house and nobody knows, I am really worried about it.” 

A pensioner said: "Food price inflation and a fixed low pension are causing stress and poor mental health.”

Chief executive Sean Moynihan warned these findings show older people are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.

“More than half of our respondents say they are finding it difficult to pay their bills,” he said.

Actions such as benchmarking the State pension as Government committed to, and raising the fuel allowance, telephone support payment, living alone allowance would start to relieve the stress that older people are feeling.” 

Despite Government pledges to ease the crisis, the survey found “around nine in 10 older people did not feel any positive impact from the last budget”.

Some one-in-three said they were worse off after Budget 2023.

In Alone’s pre- budget submission ‘One Million and Counting”, the charity called for benchmarking of the State pension, and a minimum increase of €27.50 for this year.

The title refers to Census data showing more than one million people aged 60 or older now living in Ireland, equivalent to one in five in the population.

Alone also called for an increase in the fuel allowance by €35, and of the telephone support allowance by €2.50 to €10 per week.

The living alone allowance should be increased to €32 per week, because more than one in three people over 65 who live alone are at risk of poverty. 

Mr Moynihan urged the Government to allocate targeted funding to reach homecare, housing for older people, the establishment of a commissioner for older people, and addressing loneliness.