Pensioner poverty and council tax rises in Wales
Stephen Crabb, Conservative MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire, says both old and young in his constituency have been hit by the cost of living crisis
In Preseli Pembrokeshire, a quarter of the population are over 65 years old – seven per cent higher than the UK average. “Pensioner poverty is a concern,” says Stephen
Crabb. “It’s not even pensioners who are on the lowest incomes. There are quite a lot of pensioners in my constituency who have paid off their mortgage, but find themselves relying on the state pension… One couple showed me their latest fixed-term deal that they were being offered by their electricity and gas supplier: it had more than doubled.”
Many working-age people are employed in the low-wage hospitality and tourism sector. While the labour shortage has raised wages slightly, this is from
a low base and not to the same extent as other parts of the country, Crabb says. Big operators are confident of a busy summer season, but local businesses are worried that holidaymakers will have less cash to spend in the region’s pubs and restaurants.
Furthermore, the Covid staycation boom led to many private landlords converting homes into more profitable holiday lets. The lack of affordable housing in the area has wide-ranging consequences, including increased childcare costs for young families forced out of their home villages. Crabb is also worried about the impact on single men, who are often at the bottom of council waiting lists. “We see quite a lot of hardship and poverty amongst that group.”
In an area where 55 per cent of homes rely on heating oil (not covered by a price cap), one single male constituent was told the oil company wouldn’t deliver less than 500 litres: costing nearly
£500, twice what he could afford. Council tax has also increased by double digits successively for the last three years. Crabb says: “Pembrokeshire is one of those areas where you see the layering effect of all of those costof-living issues from road fuel to heating oil to house prices. That is the cumulative impact that concerns me.”
“There are quite a lot of pensioners in my constituency who have paid o their mortgage, but find themselves relying on the state pension”