Independent Age report highlights retirement poverty fears in Northern England

New polling from the charity Independent Age reveals significant financial anxiety regarding retirement in Northern England. The data shows that 59% of adults under the age of 65 in the region lack confidence that they will have sufficient funds to live comfortably in their later years.

Among current retirees (those over 65) in Northern England, 48% expressed concern about their ability to afford essential costs, including food, housing, and utility bills, over the next six months. The charity noted that approximately 7 million older people in the UK currently live in poverty, representing one in seven individuals in that demographic.

Independent Age Chief Executive Joanna Elson CBE described the findings as “alarming,” noting that if current trends continue, the number of older people living in poverty in the UK could rise to 3.9 million, or nearly 23% of the population, by 2040.