Poverty in older people

Relative poverty in pensioners (after housing costs) was 15% in 2021-24, or 160,000 pensioners each year.

Relative poverty in pensioners (before housing costs) was 18% in 2021-24, or 180,000 pensioners each year.

The relative poverty rate for pensioners (after housing costs) has remained below the rate for working-age adults (20%) and children (23%).

 (Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland 2021-24).

Trends: relative pensioner poverty (after housing costs) was falling until 2008-11. It was then stable until 2012-15. Between 2012-15 and 2015-18 relative pensioner poverty rose. Since 2015-18 relative pensioner poverty has been largely stable (see Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland 2021-24).

A note on measurement:

• Relative poverty is a measure of whether the lowest-income households are keeping pace with middle income households across the UK. It measures those living in households where income is less than 60% of the median income for the same year.
• Absolute poverty is a measure of whether the incomes of the poorest households are keeping pace with inflation, and is based on a fixed poverty threshold (adjusted for inflation) It measures those living in households where income is less than 60% of the inflation-adjusted relative poverty threshold in 2010/11.
• Housing costs: statistics can be based on income before or after housing costs.

[Further information is available from the Scottish Government's Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland 2021-24).