Service
Age Friendly Communities
Older people in poverty in Wales report – published on 24 November 2025
I am pleased to share a copy of my latest report – Older people in poverty in Wales – which has been published today:
Download your copy of Older people in Poverty in Wales
The report examines the scale and impact of poverty amongst older people in Wales today and calls for a range of action to provide greater support to individuals who are struggling financially. The report uses older people’s own words, captured through research and engagement, to highlight the realities of poverty in later life, while also drawing on the latest available data and statistics to illustrate why tackling this long-standing issue is so important to prevent significant harm to older people and society more widely.
The report not only describes the personal costs of living in poverty, in terms of the consequences for people’s health well-being and independence, but also highlights the wider costs of dealing with issues that arise as a result of poverty, which are estimated to be in the tens of millions here in Wales – money that could be spent far more effectively to transform public services and communities.
I am calling on the Welsh and UK Governments to deliver a range of action to ensure that older people living in poverty are better supported, including:
Tackling the Pension Credit ‘cliff edge’, which means that people with incomes just a few pounds over the qualifying threshold miss out on support that could be worth thousands of pounds.
Establishing a new Resilience Fund for older people facing severe financial hardship who do not qualify for other forms of support such as Pension Credit.
Increasing investment in energy efficiency to reduce the harm caused by fuel poverty.
Providing funding to local authorities to enable them to proactively identify older people who may be missing out on crucial financial support and encourage and support them to claim what they are entitled to.
Streamlining the applications process, with a particular focus on addressing the stigma often associated with claiming financial entitlements.
The report also includes recommendations for local authorities, utility companies and internet service providers focused on increasing the support available to older people through expanding existing initiatives (such as social tariffs) and building on other community-based good practice.
In the longer term, I also want to see action to examine and establish what level of income is needed for a dignified retirement that enables people to live and age well. This should then be used as the basis to create a sustainable pension system that guarantees adequate retirement income.
As I’m sure you’d agree, progress against the recommendations within my report is crucial and I hope that this is something you will be able to support through your work. If you would like to discuss any aspect of the report or my calls for action in more detail, please contact my Policy and Practice Lead, Sion Wyn Evans – [email protected]
As Commissioner, I will continue to make the case for decisive, coordinated action at both a national and local level to tackle poverty, supported by powerful evidence based on older people’s lived experiences, and I look forward to working with you to help create a fairer, healthier and more inclusive Wales.
Rhian Bowen-Davies
Older People’s Commissioner for Wales
Welsh Government
One Voice Wales encourages Councils to engage in Age Friendly Communities activities, consultations, webinars and online meetings that we organise in association with key partners.
Welsh Government Strategy is available below:
Centre for Better Ageing
The Centre for Better Ageing have published a new handbook for anyone working in or with local authorities who wants to understand what makes a place age-friendly.
Using the World Health Organisation’s framework, it shows the overlap between different policy areas and why it’s important to bring local stakeholders and decision-makers together to make change. It is based on academic expertise, testimonials from older people and learning from the UK Network of Age-friendly Communities.
Alongside the handbook is a mapping tool for places to use to identify what is already happening in their area, how stakeholders and older residents can be involved, and where there might be gaps or opportunities to do more. The mapping tool is ideal for use in the early stages of age-friendly work, or when refreshing an age-friendly action plan. It can be downloaded for use as an editable PDF or printed for completing by hand.