Older people left lonelier as cash crisis bites

MILLIONS of older people are living a “soulless and solitary life”, unable to afford to look after their pets, go on day trips and eat out with friends, Age UK has warned.

Two in five older people, already prone to loneliness, are now unable to eat out, go on trips and do physical activity because it is too expensive as the cost of living crisis hits.

Age UK, one of this newspaper’s partners for its Christmas charity appeal, surveyed 1,301 adults aged 60 and over about changing their lifestyles to make ends meet.

Asked if they had been forced to cut back on social and leisure activities such as eating out, holidays and physical activities, 42 per cent of respondents agreed. This is equivalent to around 6.9million people.

This figure is on top of the 1.2million older people in the UK that Age UK warns are already struggling with loneliness. Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: “Older people on low and modest incomes are really feeling the pinch.

“This means they are having to forgo all but the essentials of everyday life, like food and utilities. Looking after pets is becoming quite a stretch for some and suddenly, little treats like lunch with a friend at a local pub, or a trip into town to visit the theatre or cinema may be financially out of reach.

“For those living alone especially, this makes life rather soulless and certainly much more solitary. The way in which lack of funds is reducing many older people’s social lives and breeding loneliness is one of the important, but less obvious harms brought on by inflation.

“It helps to explain why most older people feel so strongly about the restoration of the triple lock: this offers much needed hope of better times to come, before it is too late.”

The data come as the charity launches a film, Fred’s World, to raise awareness of the issue of loneliness. It follows football fan Fred and his wife as they watch national sporting moments together and highlights how, for many older people, their world becomes smaller when their support networks fall away.

Age UK is one of four charities supported by this year’s Telegraph Christmas Charity Appeal along with Macmillan Cancer Support, RBLI and Action for Children. To donate, visit telegraph. co.uk/2022appeal or call 0151 284 1927. To find out more visit: www.ageuk.org. uk/fred or search ‘Age UK Fred’