PENSIONER POVERTY IN THE UK

That this House is aware of the estimated 1.6 million retired pensioners who are currently classified as living in poverty in the UK; pays tribute to the organisation AGE UK for its launching of a new campaign to highlight this and to argue for ways to lift those senior citizens out of this deplorable situation; and calls upon the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to heed their call and in response to immediately introduce a pensioner poverty strategy which includes an increased promotion of available benefits amongst retirees, changes to ways in which benefits are administered to help older people claim and to find other avenues to encourage the Benefits Agency, local authorities and the NHS to improve their signposting of available support.