Want to keep up to date on Welsh politics? Sign up and get political news sent straight to your inbox Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A 91-year-old woman was drying toilet paper on the radiator and eating just two boiled potatoes a day because she was so desperately short of money.

The unnamed widow who lives in a Swansea council flat and has number of health issues was visited by staff from her local Age Cymru charity where they found her re-using the toilet paper. Her friends would peel potatoes and put them in a saucepan and each day she would take one or two and boil them for a meal.

This is one of the shocking examples highlighted by a new report by the older people’s charity Age Cymru about pensioner poverty in Wales.

‘Life on a low income’ is being launched today at the National Assembly for Wales, with findings that 84,000 older people in Wales live in poverty, just under 50,000 older people in Wales live in severe poverty on £183.50 per week or less, 200,000 older people report cutting back on food, heating, and social activities for financial reasons and 42,000 of older people report getting into debt in recent years;

‘Life on a low income – the reality of poverty for older people in Wales’ is based on research by Age Cymru and real-life case studies of the hardships faced by some older people in Wales.

Report author Graeme Francis of Age Cymru said: “All older people should have an adequate standard of living.

“No-one should be faced with a calamitous reduction in their standard of living when they retire or be resigned to a life where they are forced to choose between basic essentials in order to make ends meet.

“Yet unfortunately, many older people in Wales have to make these stark compromises and tough choices every day.

“This situation is preventable. In 2011/2012, Age Cymru and its network of local partners helped older people across Wales to claim £13 million in extra benefits.

“We did this through our income maximisation and information & advice services, but unfortunately as much as £168 million is estimated to be going unclaimed by older people entitled to Pension Credit alone. This is money which could make a significant difference to many older people and also to the Welsh economy.

“Age Cymru is calling for the Welsh Government and local authorities to use the Tackling Poverty Action Plan to strengthen support for these services to make sure that vital help is available to all older people acrossWales.”

Jeff Cuthbert AM, the Welsh Government Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty, is a guest speaker at the launch of the report.

He will be speaking about Welsh Government’s actions to support older people living in poverty and will tell the audience: “Tackling Poverty remains a key priority for the Welsh Government and I am committed to taking forward a number of programmes that lift people out of poverty or stop the risk of them falling into it.

“Examples of our work include appointing an Older People’s Commissioner to champion older people’s rights, announcing further grant funding of £1million for front-line advice services and fully-funding our free local bus travel service for older or disabled people. There are 725,000 bus passes in circulation, demonstrating the success and popularity of the scheme.

“However, we recognise that it is important to identify new opportunities to reduce poverty and improve the lives of those living in the poorest parts of Wales.”

Eileen Powell, Executive Director of Age Cymru Gwent, will be giving a presentation at the launch about the practical support Age Cymru can give to older people on low incomes.

An advisor from Age Cymru carried out a full benefit check for the Swansea widow, which revealed she was receiving the State Pension and a small occupational pension from her late husband. She was afraid that she would not be able to pay her rent and Council Tax and that she would be evicted.

Age Cymru Swansea Bay were able to advise her that she would be entitled to Pension Credit with immediate effect, which would entitle her to free Council.

The assessment saw her weekly income increased from £141.64 to £328.51. She now also saves £78 per week on her rent and Council Tax.

For information about your nearest Age Cymru charity partner and for free, confidential and expert advice on a range of issues for over 50s in Wales, ring Age Cymru’s advice line on 08000 223 444.