Committees

Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations

Inquiry

Are pension age benefits and the State Pension enough to stop pensioners from falling into poverty? 

We are looking at the state of pensioner poverty in the UK. Which groups are most affected? What are the health impacts? How do the State Pension and other pension age benefits mitigate the risks? What part is played by measures such as the Household Support Fund? How do these vary in the devolved nations?

We want to find out what else is needed and how to improve access to and take-up of Pension Credit and other support.

The Government’s decision to restrict the Winter Fuel Payment eligibility and to hold a pensions review has raised the question of pension adequacy. 

 

Read the call for evidence and share your views.

 

This inquiry is no longer accepting evidence

The deadline for submissions was Monday 6 January 2025.

Upcoming events

View all events
Wednesday 30 April 2025
9:30am Public
Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations - Oral evidence 30 April 2025
9:30am
  • Professor Sir Michael Marmot (Director at UCL Institute of Health Equity)
10:15am
  • Dr David Attwood (GP Partner at Pathfields Medical Group)
10:35am
  • Dr Ruth Law (Honorary Secretary and Honorary Secretary at The British Geriatrics Society)
  • David Finch (Assistant Director of the Healthy Lives Team at The Health Foundation)
  • Toby North (Head of Public Affairs at Marie Curie)
Room 16, Palace of Westminster

Past events

Tuesday 1 April 2025
9:00am Public
Oral evidence session 1 April 2025
Get Britain Working: Reforming Jobcentres - Oral evidence
9:00am
  • Rt Hon Andy Burnham (Mayor of Greater Manchester at Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA))
Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations - Oral evidence
10:00am
  • Lauren McKechnie (Chief Executive at Age UK Bolton)
  • Paul McGarry (Head at Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Ageing Hub)
  • Jo Rowlands (Head of Financial Inclusion at Leeds City Council)
  • Trish Martin (Advice Services Manager at Southway Housing)
  • Jo Volpe (Chief Executive at Leeds Older People’s Forum)
11:00am
  • Sue Forster (Welfare Benefits Coordinator at Citizens Advice Liverpool)
  • Idowu Khadijat Morafa (Founder and Director at Across Ummah CIC)
Manchester Town Hall
Wednesday 26 March 2025
9:30am Public
Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations - Oral evidence 26 March 2025
9:30am
  • Dr Juliet Stone (Research Fellow at Centre for Research in Social Policy, Loughborough University)
  • Dr Kingsley Purdam (Lecturer, Social Statistics at Manchester University)
  • Professor Matt Padley (Co-Director of the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University)
10:30am
  • Gary Vaux (Head of Money Advice at Hertfordshire County Council)
  • Gareth Morgan (CEO at Ferret Information Systems)
  • Daphne Hall (Co Chair at National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers (NAWRA))
Room 15, Palace of Westminster
Wednesday 26 February 2025
9:00am Private
10:00am Public
Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations - Oral evidence 26 February 2025
10:00am
  • Alistair Smyth (Director of Policy and Research at National Housing Federation)
  • Fabian Chessell (Central Government Lead at Policy in Practice)
  • Deven Ghelani (Director and Founder at Policy in Practice)
  • Councillor David Fothergill (Chair of Community and Well-being panel at Local Government Association)
Room 8, Palace of Westminster
Wednesday 22 January 2025
9:30am Public
Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations - Oral evidence 22 January 2025
9:30am
  • Dr Suzy Morrissey (Deputy Director at Pensions Policy Institute)
  • Sue Ferns (Senior Deputy General Secretary at Prospect)
  • Sasjkia Otto (Senior Researcher at Fabian Society)
  • Dr Daniella Jenkins (Policy Advisor at Women's Budget Group, and Senior Lecturer at University of Bristol)
10:30am
  • Angela Madden (Campaign Chair at The WASPI Campaign)
  • Debbie de Spon (Communications Director at The WASPI Campaign)
11:00am
  • Karl Banister (Director of Operations, Legal and Clinical, and Deputy Ombudsman at Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO))
The Grimond Room, Portcullis House

Contact us

We can’t usually help you with an individual problem or a specific complaint.

  • Email: workpencom@parliament.uk
  • Phone: 020 7219 8976 | 020 7219 1679 (Media)
  • Address: Work and Pensions Committee | House of Commons | London | SW1A 0AA