The Commissioner for Older People for Northern Ireland has told a Westminster committee that 8 per cent of older people are in absolute poverty, while another 8 per cent are in relative poverty.

Siobhan Casey said the oldest pensioners face the greatest financial vulnerability, as people moving from their 60s to their 70s and 80s see poverty rates grow.

She attributed this partly to low private pension rates in Northern Ireland compared with the rest of the UK, leaving people particularly dependent on the state pension and vulnerable to rising living costs and unexpected expenses.

Ms Casey stressed that accessing pension credit can unlock other support, including housing benefit, cold weather payments, a free TV licence for over-75s, and help with dental, optical and hospital travel costs.

She estimated that between 23,000 and 30,000 older people are not claiming pension credit despite being entitled to it. Figures from 2019-20 show 28 per cent of pensioner households, about 26,000, were not claiming, amounting to approximately £1.1 million a week or £55 million a year in unclaimed credit.

Ms Casey highlighted the ageing population, with the over-65 cohort increasing by 6,000 or 7,000 people every year, and stressed that boosting uptake would make a real difference.

She said it is difficult for many older people to heat homes adequately and maintain a healthy diet, leading to deterioration in physical and mental health and pressure on public services.

The commissioner noted growing evidence of increased food insecurity among older people and a 91 per cent increase in those going to food banks such as the Trussell Trust. She also mentioned the reduction in the winter fuel payment as having an impact.

Ms Casey said many older people live on fixed incomes with one or more long-term health conditions or disabilities, leaving them unable to increase their earnings.